Amaranth-Bottlegourd Stew flavored with Mustard Paste/Thotakura-Anapakaya(Sorakaya) Ava Pettina Pulusu

This is another delicious and healthy stew made in my family since generations.If you are one of those people who enjoys the spicy hot flavor of mustard,this dish is for you.Not only that ,this is a great dish to enjoy during winters as the mustard gives nice heat to the body and helps our body to be safe from the seasonal colds.It is good during winters does not mean you can't make it in other seasons, you can try this dish anytime you have all the right ingredients handy.

Let us see how this delicious stew is prepared---------------

Main Ingredients :

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Amaranth Greens...............1 big bunch

Bottlegourd........................1 small

Mango Pieces....................5(frozen)

Green Chilly.......................3

Water................................enough to cover the veggies

Mustard Paste Ingredients :

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Green Chilly........................1

Mustard Seeds....................2tsp

Raw Rice...........................1tsp(soaked in water for 5minutes)

Sesame Oil.........................1tsp
Turmeric............................pinch
Tamarind Paste..................1tsp
Water................................2tsp

Seasoning Ingredients :

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Sesame Oil.........................2tsp

Mustard Seeds...................1/2tsp

Cumin Seeds......................1tsp

Red Chilly..........................1 large(broken)

Asafoetida/Hing.................1/8 tsp

Tamarind Paste..................3tsp

Turmeric...........................pinch

Rice Flour.........................2tsp(for thickening)

Salt...................................to taste

Preparation :

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Wash the veggies under cold water.Cut the amaranth greens including the stalks and place them in a cooking pan.Peel the bottlegourd and cut it into small cubes and add them to the pan of greens.Now add water,slit green chillies,mango pieces and turmeric to the veggies and cook them covered on medium high till the veggies are cooked.

Once the veggies are cooked make a paste with the rice flour and water and add it to the boiling stew.Also add the tamarind paste and let it cook for few more minutes.Meanwhile place all the ingredients mentioned under Mustard Paste into the blender and blend them well to make a fine paste.

Add this ground mustard paste and salt to the simmering stew and mix well.Let cook for 5 more minutes.

While the stew is simmering make the seasoning/tadka by adding oil to a pan.Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,red chilly and hing.Once the seeds start to splutter add it to the simmering stew and switch off the stove.

Delicious Amaranth-Bottlegourd Stew Flavored with Mustard Paste is ready to be served with warm rice and papad/gummadi vadiyalu/dahi mirchi.This stew is a tasty side dish for rotis too.

Note :

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1) I had some frozen mango pieces handy so I added them,if you don't like it you can omit it .

2) You can use spinach instead of amaranth in this stew.

3) Do not make dishes with mustard paste very often as it might cause over heat to the body.