Sabzi of the Day - Savour the Simplicity: Quick Ridge Gourd Recipes for Light, Flavourful Meals
Although a summer vegetable, ridge gourd can be consumed throughout the year, given it is packed with several essential nutrients
Ridge gourd, also known as Torayi in Hindi and Jhinge in Bengali, is usually harvested between January and July and, therefore, is considered a summer vegetable. However, if availability is not an issue, it can be and must be consumed throughout the year, given it is a storehouse of fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium.
Given how important it is to incorporate ridge gourd in daily meals, we have compiled a number of easy, quick, and delicious recipes of ridge gourd.
JhingePoshto (Ridge gourd in poppy seed paste curry)
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Ridge gourd
Potatoes
Poppy seeds paste
Paanchphoron (a mix of cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella, and fennel in seed form, not grounded).
Green chillies
Mustard oil
Salt
Sugar
Recipe
Cut the ridge ground in a round shape, and clean the seeds.
Dice the potatoes.
Now heat the pan and add mustard oil.
Add paanchphoron and green chillies and let them temper for 30 seconds.
Once done, add the potatoes and let them turn golden brown.
Pour and ridge ground, stir-fry it for 10 minutes, and close the lid.
Once turned mushy, add the poppy seeds paste.
Add salt and sugar to strike a balance.
Drizzle mustard oil on top, and the dish is ready to be enjoyed with rice and dal.
Credit- Instagram/ @grandmother_cooking
Ridge Gourd Fry
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Ridge gourd
Mustard seeds
Dry red chillies
Mustard oil
Salt
Grated coconut
Recipe
In a pan, heat mustard oil and temper mustard seeds and dry red chillies.
Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add a diced ridge gourd without the seeds.
Close the lid and let the ridge gourd release its excess water. This water will also help cook the ridge gourd.
If the ridge gourd turns mushy, remove the lid and stir-fry the ridge gourd on high flame.
Dry it out, and the ridge gourd fry is ready.
Add salt for taste and garnish it with grated coconut.
One can consume this fried ridge gourd dish with roti, poori, or paratha.
Credit- Instagram/@kaaram.kathalu
Beerakaya Curry (Andhra-style ridge gourd curry)
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Ridge gourd
Onion
Garlic
Cumin
Mustard seeds
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Mustard oil
Curry leaves
Salt
Recipe
In a pan, heat mustard oil and temper the cumin seeds and mustard seeds along with curry leaves.
Add onion and sauté it till it gets mushy.
Add the diced ridge gourd and let it cook till the vegetable also gets mushy.
Now add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and let the dish form its flavour.
Add salt as per taste, followed by as much water as you want to give the dish a consistency of your liking.
Accompany the dish with rice and moong dal.
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You see, given that ridge gourd itself takes very little time to cook, it is very easy to cook ridge gourd-based dishes in a short span of time. Not to forget, it is one of the tastiest vegetables that one can round the year.