Turai ki sabzi is a also known as Torai or gilki. This ridge gourd vegetable is used extensively in both North India and parts of south india. The below curry is a North Indian style recipe which always reminds me of my grandma's kitchen. It is an easy dish which goes well with any Indian flatbreads or a bowl of basmati rice. Perfect for a weekday lunch or dinner. You can make it a pan, traditional pressure cooker and even an instant pot. If you like to eat lentils, turai dal is a variation you make cook alternatively. Recipe is the same but we add ½ cup of moong dal or chana dal, after turai pieces are cooked.
Gourds are great diuretics. They are used a lot both in Asian and Indian cuisine. You can cook the long melon (lauki) in the similar fashion. Torai or Beerakaya can also be used to make a chutney or Telugu style beerakaya pachadi where it is cooked with some cumin seeds, ginger and then mashed.
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Ingredients
- ridge gourd / Toori / Turai(chopped in small pieces)
- ghee / oil if vegan
- cumin seeds
- ginger
- tomatoes
- red chilli powder or green chillies
- turmeric powder
- salt as per taste
See recipe card for quantities.
Turai ki sabzi | Indian ridge gourd curry recipe
Equipment
- saucepan or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 large ridge gourds chopped 4-5 cups chopped turai pieces
- 2-3 medium tomatoes
For tempering
- 2 tablespoon ghee/oil if vegan
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 piece ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder as per taste or 1-2 chopped green chilies
- Salt as per taste as per taste
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker or pan, heat ghee or oil.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin ,let it splutter,add ginger.
- Add tomatoes followed by the spices. Cook until the tomatoes become soft.
- Add the chopped ridge gourd pieces with salt.Let it cook till it softens. If you are pressure cooking cook until 2-3 whistles.(for pressure cooker, add ½ cup water).
- After some time, it will start to loose waterLet it cook until ridge gourd softens. Continue to cook until you get the consistency of your choice. .
- Serve the vegetable with Rice or Roti/Indian flat bread.
For bottle gourd recipe in instant pot
- Heat oil in the instant pot on saute mode, add cumin seeds with ginger, garlic, tomatoes and salt.Add ridge gourd pieces
- Add the remaining spices with little water, cover the instant pot with the seal ON position, cook on low pressure for 10 minutes
- Release the pressure after 5 minutesGarnish with fresh coriander leaves, serve warm
Notes
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Step by step instructions
Chop the gourd in small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin ,let it splutter,add ginger.
Add chopped tomatoes to the pan along with some salt. Cook on a low flame.
Add the spices and cook until the tomatoes become soft.
Add chopped vegetable to it , cover and cook.
After some time, it will start to loose waterLet it cook until ridge gourd softens. Continue to cook until you get the consistency of your choice. .
Note: Ridge gourd has a high water content. Hence, it looks very watery initially. Once the water starts to evaporate check the salt and adjust accordingly before you switch off.
Variations
You can add chopped onions and curry leaves to make beerakaya curry.
Equipment
- pan
- grater optional
- food processor
Storage
Store this curry in fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for later.
Top tip
Add a dash of lemon juice on top. It improves both the taste and also adds vitamin C to your diet.
FAQ
Yes it is a diuretic and aids weight loss. Additionally, it is a good source of Vitamin A. Helps control sugar levels in diabetics.
Conclusion: Easy ridgegourd curry makes dinner plans simple.
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