Beerakaya pachadi (ridge gourd chutney)

Method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Wash the ridge gourd (opens in a new tab), cut off the ends and taste a tiny piece from each end: if it is bitter, discard the whole gourd. Scrape off the hard ridges with a peeler (leave the green skin between them) and cut into 2 cm pieces.

   • 6 min
   • Vegetable peeler (opens in a new tab)
   • Chopping board (opens in a new tab)
   • Chef's knife (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Bitter gourds can contain cucurbitacins, which cause severe stomach upset; never use a bitter one.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Heat 10 ml of the oil over medium-low heat. Fry the urad (opens in a new tab) dal, chana dal (opens in a new tab) and fenugreek (opens in a new tab) for 2–3 minutes until the dal is golden and the fenugreek reddish. Add the cumin, dried chillies and green chillies and fry for 1 minute until the chillies blister. Lift out onto a plate.

   • 4 min
   • medium-low heat
   • Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
3. 3

   Step 3

   Add the remaining 5 ml oil, the ridge gourd (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and turmeric (opens in a new tab). Cover and cook over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the gourd is translucent and soft and most of its water has evaporated. Add the tamarind (opens in a new tab) with its water and cook 1 minute more. Cool for 15 minutes.

   • 9 min
   • medium heat
   • Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
4. 4

   Step 4

   Grind the dal and chilli mixture with the salt to a coarse powder. Add the cooked gourd and coriander and pulse a few times to a coarse, spoonable pachadi. No water is needed; the gourd is juicy.

   • 3 min
   • Blender (opens in a new tab)

   

5. 5

   Step 5

   For the tempering, heat the gingelly oil (opens in a new tab) in a small pan or tadka ladle over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab); when they crackle and pop (20–30 seconds), add the urad (opens in a new tab) dal and chana dal (opens in a new tab) and the broken dried chilli and stir until the dal turns light golden (about 30 seconds). Take the pan off the heat, add the curry leaves (opens in a new tab) (they spit) and the asafoetida (opens in a new tab), swirl for 2–3 seconds and pour everything over the chutney.

   • 2 min
   • medium heat
   • Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Hot oil spits when mustard seeds pop and curry leaves go in; keep your face back and have a lid nearby.