Bored Of The Same Old Sabzi? Turn Ridge Gourd Into These 5 Tasty Dishes

Ridge gourd doesn't have to stay limited to the usual sabzi, these 5 recipes, from stuffed turai to fritters, chutney, bharta and a chana dal combination, bring a completely different taste.

Ridge gourd, known in most Indian kitchens simply as turai, tends to get treated as a background vegetable, quickly sautéed with onions and tomatoes or tossed into a lentil curry. But the same vegetable can be turned into dishes that taste nothing like the everyday sabzi, and none of them demand elaborate ingredients or hours in the kitchen. Anyone with ridge gourd sitting in the fridge can try out these five ideas.

Stuff it like a classic bharwa sabzi
For anyone who enjoys stuffed vegetables, ridge gourd works just as well as the usual choices. The gourd is peeled, cut into thick pieces and hollowed out slightly in the centre. A stuffing is prepared with gram flour, coriander powder, red chilli, turmeric, dried mango powder and salt, and packed into the hollowed pieces. These are then cooked in a little oil over low heat until the filling is well roasted and the gourd turns soft inside. Serve it with roti or paratha.

Fritters for the evening tea break
If the craving is for something crunchy with evening tea, ridge gourd fritters fit the bill. The gourd is grated and lightly squeezed to remove excess water, then mixed with gram flour, chopped onion, green chillies, carom seeds, salt and spices to form a thick batter. Small fritters are shaped from this mixture and deep fried until golden. Served with green chutney, they taste even better.

A chutney that pairs with dal-rice
Ridge gourd can also be turned into a chutney. The pieces are lightly roasted, then cooked further with green chillies, garlic and a little cumin. Once cooled, the mixture is ground and finished with salt and lemon juice to taste. This chutney goes well with dal-rice as well as roti or paratha.

Skip the baingan, try a turai bharta instead
Much like the classic eggplant bharta, a version made with ridge gourd brings its own distinct flavour. The gourd is peeled, cut into small pieces and cooked in a pan until completely soft, then lightly mashed. Onion, green chillies, tomato and the necessary spices are added and cooked for a few more minutes. Finished with fresh coriander on top, it is best served with hot roti.

For something lighter, pair it with chana dal
When a lighter but still satisfying dish is needed, the combination of ridge gourd and chana dal works well. The dal is soaked beforehand and cooked together with the gourd pieces, along with turmeric, salt and the required spices. Once done, it is finished with a tempering of cumin, garlic and dried red chillies. The creamy texture of the dal against the mild taste of the gourd makes it noticeably different from an everyday dal.

What this means for you
Cooking ridge gourd in different styles lets home cooks refresh the everyday menu without buying a fresh vegetable.

• Saves money: Getting five different dishes out of one vegetable cuts down on how often other vegetables need to be bought. That has a direct effect on the weekly kitchen budget.
• Adds variety: With options like a stuffed version, fritters, chutney, bharta and a dal combination, the same vegetable can taste different through the week. That makes it easier to get both kids and adults to eat it without complaints.
• Low effort: None of these recipes need long ingredient lists or lengthy cooking steps. They can be put together even on a busy weekday.
• Fits the season: Ridge gourd is widely available during the monsoon months. This is the right time of year to try these out.

Questions & Answers

1. What are the 5 dishes that can be made from ridge gourd?
Stuffed turai, ridge gourd fritters, ridge gourd chutney, turai bharta and a turai-chana dal combination can all be made.

2. What goes into the stuffing for stuffed ridge gourd?
The stuffing is made with gram flour, coriander powder, red chilli, turmeric, dried mango powder and salt.

3. What is done to the ridge gourd before making fritters?
The gourd is grated and lightly squeezed to remove its excess water.

4. What ingredients go into ridge gourd chutney?
Roasted ridge gourd is blended with green chillies, garlic, cumin, salt and lemon juice.

5. How is ridge gourd bharta prepared?
Softly cooked ridge gourd is mashed and then cooked with onion, green chillies, tomato and spices.

6. What tempering is used in the ridge gourd and chana dal dish?
It is finished with a tempering of cumin, garlic and dried red chillies.

7. Do these recipes need a lot of ingredients or time?
No, all five recipes use limited ingredients and can be prepared without much effort.

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