Sometime last week, I was cleaning up the fridge closely inspecting the occupants there, when I noticed that the ridge gourd and Dill were the ones demanding immediate attention. When I bough the Ridge Gourd from the grocery I was planning on making these delicious bhajjis, but never got around making them.
So the other option for me was to make a quick curry from the Ridge Gourd. Now cooked Ridge Gourd by itself has a sweet taste to it and when paired with onions becomes even more sweeter. At home we are not fond of this taste, so I thought why not add the dill to ridge gourd and make a dry curry? Addition of dill and Chana Daal definitely off -sets that sweet taste and imparts its own flavor.
The idea for this curry came up on a need basis but we really liked the taste. Needless to say, this is a very easy and nutritious side dish that can be prepared in a jiffy.
Ridge Gourd is called as Turai or Tori in Hindi, Jhinga in Bengali, Beera kaya in Telugu, Heeray kayi in Kannada, peechinga in Malayalam, Dodaka or Ghosavala in Marathi, Peerkankaai in Tamil and Ghosale in Konkani.
Please note that Ridge Gourd is different from Bottle Gourd (Lauki)
Ingredients:
- 1 medium ridge gourd (skin peeled and cut into cubes) (Heerekaayi in Kannada)
- 1 cup of pressed dill chopped finely(thick stems removed) /Sowa/(Shepu in Marathi)/ sabsige sappu in Kannada
- 1/2 cup Bengal Gram Daal/ chana daal (soak it over night)
- 3-4 green chillies slit
- 2/3 cup chopped onions
- Oil
- Salt
- Mustard seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Turmeric
- Shredded coconut (optional)
Method:
- Pressure cook/ or cook the Chana Daal on stove top in sufficient amount of water. Make sure that the lentil is cooked and has a bite left to it.
- Take a heavy bottom pan/kadhai add oil and then splutter the mustard seeds, add cumin seeds.
- Add onions and green chillies. Mix it a bit. Add the cubed ridge gourd, salt and mix well. Add little more oil if necessary.
- When the ridge gourd and onion is almost done, add turmeric, cooked chana daal and cut dill leaves. Mix well and cover with a lid.
- Stir in intervals and finally add some shredded coconut(optinal)
- Note: Too much of dill can impart a bitter taste, so proceed with caution!
This goes well with Rotis/Chapatis and as a side dish with Rice.
Nice way to use up veggies too! Love the simple masala and the protein rich chana dal addition.
Wow thats lovely combo of channa dhal with ridge guard.. I always love this .. healthy one pot dish.
I do make lauki with chana dal … but this is a good variation. And so few masalas too!
I don’t eat ridge gourd much at all, but I like the idea of pairing it with chana dal. Plus your beautiful pictures are really tempting me. Gotta buy it next time I find it!
ummm….very new to me, never tried redge gourd with chana dal, good healthy dish
It has been a while since I bought ridge gourd. Last time I got them, they were bitter & I have not been buying them. I never made with chana dal… but I can imagine the taste since I often make louki with chanadal.
WOW… this is my favourite recipe and i make it regularly..
The ridge gourd and chana dal complement each other so well it really tastes superb!! Thanks for a simpler version, I’d like to make it this way sometime
TC
recipe looks too good!!!!!!what a combination!
wow, never thought of comining dill & ridge gourd. sounds very interesting
I am totally confused by all the comments now. Is ridge gourd same as lauki or not? Because I do make lauki and chana dal together. but mine doesn’t look that green when i am done with it. 🙁
Jaya, Ridge Gourd is not the same as Lauki. Lauki is Bottle Gourd. I have now updated the post.
Thats a lovely combo..looks yummy..
what a lovely picture 🙂 I am going to try this soon.
Thanks for the clarification. I know what dodaka/ turai is. 🙂
Lovely combination. Must have tasted great with rice and dal.
Beautiful picture and a great dish!