Ridge Gourd Chutney
Gourd vegetables, particularly ridge gourd, bitter gourd and bottle gourd, are very good for building immunity and overall health but unfortunately not a popular choice of vegetable for many. My daughter too is not a big fan of gourd vegetables, but loves this spicy ridge gourd chutney with dosai, idli, pidi kozhukattai and rawa kichadi. This chutney is also a great combination for plain cooked rice, curd rice, chapathi and sandwiches. It is super easy to make, delicious and is filled with the goodness of ridge gourd, walnuts and coriander leaves.
Ingredients
Cooking sesame oil – 1 1/2 tbsp
Ridge gourd (cut into cubes) – 3 cups (beginners, check notes to learn how to prep ridge gourd!)
Salt – 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
Fresh curry leaves – a handful
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Moong dhal – 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves – a handful
Thick tamarind extract – 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies – 4 (or to taste)
Walnuts – handful
Yield
2 cups
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Method
1) Heat a shallow frying pan and add 1 tbsp oil. When it is warm add cubed ridge gourd, salt and jaggery. Mix once, cover and cook for nearly 10 mins on medium heat. Open the lid and mix intermittently to avoid charring. Once the ridge gourd cooks and shrinks to almost 1/3 of its original quantity add curry leaves (reserve few for tempering) and saute for a further 2 mins. Set this aside to cool completely.
2) In a tempering pan heat 1/2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add moong dhal and fry until golden. Add the reserved curry leaves and saute for a few secs. Transfer this to a serving dish.
3) In a mixer jar add the cooked ridge gourd, coriander leaves, tamarind extract, green chillies and walnuts. Pulse a few times. Now add 2 to 3 tbsps water and grind to a chutney consistency. Transfer this spicy ridge gourd chutney to the serving dish. Mix the tempering into the chutney.
4) Serve this healthy chutney with any Indian savoury tiffin and enjoy. Stays fresh for 2 days when refrigerated.
Notes
- Take your time to cook the ridge gourd and make sure it cooks well, shrinks and most of the moisture evaporates before grinding. Otherwise your chutney will have an uncooked raw flavour which is not good.
- The spice level in this chutney is according to my taste preference. I like my chutneys hot and spicy. If it is too spicy for your taste then reduce the number of chillies.
- You can add some chopped onions or grated carrots to the chutney after adding the tempering. This will enhance the taste and give a bit of crunch/texture to the ridge gourd chutney.
- Try this yummy chutney with Yam Paratha. One of my favourite lunch box options!
Beginners tips
- Make sure to buy ridge gourd that is tender to touch and not hard. Take the gourd in your hand and try twisting it a bit. You should be able to twist it slightly with ease. This means it is fresh and tender.
- Wash the ridge gourd properly, and cut it into big pieces. Hold the piece vertically and slice off the ridges/rough edges with a knife. Now gently scrape the leftover skin of the gourd and wash the pieces once more.
- When your ridge gourd is tender you can use the entire pulp after getting rid of the ridges fully and scraping the skin roughly. You don’t have to discard the outer skin completely or the seeds inside. If your gourd is old then it becomes very fibrous and the seeds become hard, the outer skin is difficult to cook and difficult to digest too. You may have to discard if it becomes old.
