This Easy cooking Ideas for Singles #60- Berkaaya koora or Ridged Gourd Curry is very easy to cook. I never liked ridged gourd and do not remember eating it before I became a mom. After my son was born, my mother-in-law cajoled me into eating it. Since then I have been cooking it in different ways. A ridge gourd is also commonly known as Turai in North India and Berkaaya in South India. Its white pulp is spongy and after cooking it is very soft and hence, easily digestible. It’s well-known for the health benefits as it is high in fiber, vitamins and is said to keep the sugar levels in control when consumed regularly. The nutritional value of gourd makes it appropriate for maintaining health and weight loss. It’s excellent cooling properties are a boon in our blazing hot summer.
I have organic ridged gourd growing in my backyard.It has entwined itself on my clothesline. I plucked one and made this light curry with milk. I should have plucked it when it was still tender but the end result was good, so it is okay I guess. The peel which is high in fibre is also edible and need not be thrown away. I used the hard and ridged skin of the gourd to make tangy, spicy chutney (next blog); yes with the skin and it is in fact yummy.
The ridged gourd is useful even after it dries out on the vine.The fibrous matter of the marrow-like fruit, which is dried and used as a bath sponge is known as a Loofah. The spongy texture is ideal for exfoliating dry skin to keep it smooth and soft. Loofahs soften when wet and harden up again when they dry and one should always dry it well I always prefer these plant-based loofahs to the plastic bath poufs as they are natural and better for the skin.
How I digress! Let us come back to the easy delicious curry cooked with ridge gourd and milk. It goes well with rice and roti. My mom used to cook it with milk too but it did not have the south Indian tempering ingredients added to it.
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp ghee or oil
¼ tsp split Bengal gram
¼ tsp black gram split
½ tsp mustard seeds
5-6 crushed garlic cloves
8-10 curry leaves
1 large onion finely chopped
2-3 green chilies slit length wise
2-3 dried red chillies
1 ridge gourds peeled and chopped into small pieces
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
½ cup milk
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Heat the ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter and then add the dals. Add the crushed garlic cloves and curry leaves and stir fry for a few seconds.
Add the chopped onions, red and green chilies and sauté till the onions turn pink. Add the chopped ridge gourd pieces, mix well and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt and mix well.
Add the milk and simmer after covering it with a lid and cook further for another 10 minutes.
Once the curry is nice and thick, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or steamed rice.
Easy cooking Ideas for Singles #60- Berkaaya koora or Ridged Gourd Curry is good for babies too and ideal for the whole family.
Love ridge gourd for exactly the reasons you specified! My husband hated it until I cooked it this way 🙂 He said it was an unrecognisable goop when his mom made it :D:D. It cooks so fast when it is tender that the green colour remains intact. I don’t add turmeric and red chillies for this reason alone 🙂
Hahahah….glad he likes your cooking to his moms..which is a rarity :p Even when we cook it Punjabi style we don’t add turmeric and dry red chilies or even the tadka…..and in bhartha too. But I like a little bit of chili powder. Mom used to just put adrak hari mirch.. onion and torai. But I never used to eat it.