Photograph: Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com
Sabj mandis are flooded with torai or turai or ridge gourd during the monsoon. A vegetable that's harvested in bushels during the rainy season, it's a not so appealing member of the gourd family.
Dark green, turai has distinctive sharp ridges along its length. Reserve this Dal Turai recipe for busy days when you need a quick and wholesome lunch.
A great tiffin option too, my recipe for Dal Turai is made with chana dal and when eaten with rotis you have a nice, simple filling meal.
Dal Turai
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 250 gm turai or torai or ridge gourd, thoroughly washed, peeled and diced
- ½ cup chana dal or Bengal gram, washed and boiled
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- ½-inch piece ginger, minced
- 2-3 garlic pods, minced
- 1 green chilly, chopped
- ½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1 tsp goda masala (please see the note below)
- Pinch hing or asafoetida
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
- Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
- ¼ cup water
Method
- Heat the oil/ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or frying pan over medium heat.
Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and let crackle for about a minute.
Add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent.
Add the minced ginger, garlic, chopped green chilly.
Add the chopped tomato and saute till soft.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder.
Add the boiled dal.
Mix and cook for a few minutes more.
Add the diced ridge gourd, salt, water.
Cover and cook the sabji over low heat for 10 minutes or till mushy.
Take off the lid, sprinkle in the goda masala and cook over low heat for a minute more.
Serve hot with ghee-smeared phulkas or parathas or with dal and rice.
Mayur's Note: For a recipe for Maharashtrian goda masala please check Rekha Sanap's Goda Masala.