Peerkangai Tuvaiyal
A chutney made from the peel and flesh of ridge gourd, freshly toasted spices and coconut, to be had with hot rice.
Ingredients
- 2 medium ridge gourds choose tender variety
- 2-3 tsp oil
- 1 pinch turmeric
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 dried red chillies
- 2 tbsp urad dal
- 1 smidgen asafoetida piece soaked in 1 tbsp warm water (optional)
- 1 small tamarind piece 1" piece soaked in 2-3 tbsp hot water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut unsweetened
Tempering
- 2 tsp oil gingelly is ideal
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Instructions
- To prepare peerkangai thogayal, slice off the top and tail end of the ridge gourd and cut into thin slices~1/2 cm thick. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large sized pan and saute the gourd slices with a pinch of turmeric for 4-5 minutes on a high flame. Remove this into a dish and allow to cool.
- In the same pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, red chillies, urad dal and fry on a medium flame until the dal turns golden.
- In a mixer jar, take the sauteed ridge gourd slices and the fried dal-red chilli -mustard seeds mix, coconut, tamarind, asafoetida water, salt and grind to a fine paste. Remove this into a serving bowl
- Heat the 1 tsp oil in the same pan. Add the mustard seeds, red chili, urad dal and curry leaves and fry until the dal is golden and crunchy. Transfer this over the thogayal.
- Serve this with hot rice, ghee / gingelly oil and a dry vegetable curry like cabbage or carrot on the side.