Lotus Root, Yam and Bitter Gourd Curry

Ingredients

Bitter gourd (karawila) curry
2 bitter gourds, deseeded, thinly sliced
½ tbsp turmeric, plus extra
½ onion
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tomato
½ cup coconut milk
Juice of half a lime or lemon

Yam curry

1 large yam, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
Salt
Grated coconut, to serve

Lotus root (nelum ala) curry

225g lotus root
2 whole tomatoes
1 whole green chilli peppers fresh
25g shallots
1 curry leaves
1/2 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp salt
250ml coconut milk thick
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
25g ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp roasted curry powder

Preparation

To make the bitter gourd curry, soak the gourd in salt and extra turmeric for a few minutes. Squeeze out the water and set aside the gourd.

Sautee the onion and mustard seeds until the seeds splatter. Add the cumin, turmeric and chilli powder, stirring. Add the gourd and stir well. Add the tomato and season with salt. Add 1/4 cup water and the coconut milk. Cook until the gourd softens, stirring occasionally.
Add the lime juice.

To make the yam curry, place the yam and salt in a large pot over high heat. Cover with water and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the yam is cooked through.

Drain the yam and return to the pot. Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the yam has fluffed up.

Serve as an accompaniment to the curries, sprinkled with the grated coconut.

To make the lotus root curry, wash and cut the lotus root into small pieces.

Slice the tomatoes, chilli and shallots.

Place the lotus root in a pan and add the tomato, chilli, curry leaves, fenugreek, salt, coconut milk, turmeric, chilli powder and cook for about 10 minutes or until the lotus root is cooked.

Heat the ghee in a frypan over high heat. Add the shallots and fry until transparent.

Transfer the cooked curry to the frying pan. Add the roasted curry powder, cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve.