Swetha's Fusion

Heerekai Thove | Ridge Gourd and Moong Dal curry

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Heerekai Thove - Ridge Gourd and Mung gram (lentil) curry is one of the favorite curry in my house. It is like comfort food. Besides mixing with rice, my husband will just drink the flavorful lentil liquid. Very quick and simple to make.

Ingredients:

1 cup - Moong dal
1 whole - tender Ridge Gourd (about 2 cups cut pieces)
2 - green chillies
1 tsp - cumin seeds
1 tsp - turmeric powder
½ tsp - mustard seeds
2 tsp - freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp - oil or ghee for seasoning
2 tbsp - lime juice
2 tbsp - chopped coriander leaves
5 to 8 - curry leaves
4 to 5 - dry coconut slices (optional)
1 pinch - hing | asafetida
salt - as per taste

Method:

Rinse moong dal couple times until water runs clear.
Optional step: soak dal for half hour
Cook dal with 3 cups of water in pressure cooker for about two whistle or 12 to 15 minutes in microwave oven on high
Meanwhile, wash ridge gourd. Using a peeler, peel the hard ridges off. Cut and discard the ends of the gourd. Cut the gourd into 2 cm thick circles. if it is wide, cut them into halves. Keep aside.

Other preparation: Slit green chilies length wise; extract lime juice; grate ginger and chop coriander leaves and keep all aside.
Heat seasoning oil/ghee in a sauce pan on medium flame. Add mustard to the oil.
Once mustard starts to sputtering, add curry leaves, asafetida and cumin seeds (optional coconut slices).
Reduce the flame, and carefully, pour the cooked dal into the sauce pan. Note, the oil is hot and when pour the dal it will start flying all over the place - cover the pan to avoid it or stir the dal to stop it.
Using a masher or buttermilk churner, mash and churn the dal.

Set the flame medium-high, add more water if needed and bring it to boil.
Now, add the cut ridge-gourd, green-chilies, turmeric powder and salt to sauce pan with dal.

Cover the pan and simmer it until ridge gourd is cooked. Stir in-between to prevent dal burning at the bottom.
Once the ridge gourd is cooked and tender, turn of the flame.
Mix-in lime juice to taste.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and pokoda on the side.