Dear Friends,
I will be on a short month long break while we go on our vacation to India! I have been meaning to post this in a while, but thanks to some unforseen circumstances everything was put on the back burner (including blogging! can u believe that????).
Anyways, I hope all you guys have a wonderful Thanksgiving and then a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I'll see you guys with a bang in the New Year!
Wishing you guys Happy Holidays and Prosperous, Joyous New Year!
Cheers
Monday, November 20, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Ridge Gourd - Beerakaaya Pappu
There is something very humble about an ordinary looking ridge gourd. Ridge gourd is an Indian vegetable, which is long, green, fleshy and white on the inside and green with ridges on the outside. Hence the name ridge gourd. We call it beerakaaya at home in Telugu. To eat this vegetable I must say one should have an acquired taste.
Back home in India, I was very picky about what vegetable I would eat. Ridge gourd was not one of those fortunate few :-) But here in America, where we were limited to the far and few Indian vegetables I developed a taste for this vegetable. I must say now, that I really like this guy - the humble Ridge gourd.
Ridge gourd can be cooked in many ways. My favorite recipe is that of Beerakaya pappu - Ridge gourd with Dal. Hot white Rice, some ghee, Beerakaaya Pappu and a papad on the side, this is the ultimate comfort food! My mother-in-law is from Karnataka and her cooking is mainstay Kannada cuisine. She makes something called Heerekai (Ridge gourd in Kannada) Maskai - which is the Karnataka version of Beerakaaya Pappu. The difference is that the dal is slightly runny and is garnished with fresh grated coconut and some chopped coriander/cilantro leaves in the end. Similar taste, but the garnishings make a world of difference in the uniqueness they lend to the dish.
I make my pappu, combining both the recipes, a confluence of Karnataka and Andhra cusines, a treat to the palates and a soothing comfort meal!
A Riot of Colors – Ingredients for Ridge Gourd Pappu
To make the Beerakaaya Pappu you would need:
1 big Ridge Gourd - Scrape the sharp ridges. Let the rest fo the peel remain.
Wash thorougly and then chop the vegetable into cubes.
2 medium sized Tomatoes or 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes - Chopped into cubes
1 small Onion - Chopped into cubes
5 green chillies - Slit Lengthwise
5 cloves Garlic - Peeled
1 small piece Tamarind
1 1/2 cup Toor Dal - Washed
Method:
Combine all of the above, a pinch of turmeric and pressure cook with enough water (enough to cover the above mixture) for about 2 whistles. Cool and set aside.
Once cool, using a wooden spoon or a hand mixer, mash all of the above gently until everything is well blended. Add salt, 1 tsp of red chilli powder, 1 cup of water and boil for about 5 minutes. Then season with mustard seeds, cumin seeds or jeera, curry leaves, urad dal, channa dal and 1 tbsp of chopped onions. Garnish with grated coconut and serve with hot rice.
Ridge Gourd Pappu
Back home in India, I was very picky about what vegetable I would eat. Ridge gourd was not one of those fortunate few :-) But here in America, where we were limited to the far and few Indian vegetables I developed a taste for this vegetable. I must say now, that I really like this guy - the humble Ridge gourd.
Ridge gourd can be cooked in many ways. My favorite recipe is that of Beerakaya pappu - Ridge gourd with Dal. Hot white Rice, some ghee, Beerakaaya Pappu and a papad on the side, this is the ultimate comfort food! My mother-in-law is from Karnataka and her cooking is mainstay Kannada cuisine. She makes something called Heerekai (Ridge gourd in Kannada) Maskai - which is the Karnataka version of Beerakaaya Pappu. The difference is that the dal is slightly runny and is garnished with fresh grated coconut and some chopped coriander/cilantro leaves in the end. Similar taste, but the garnishings make a world of difference in the uniqueness they lend to the dish.
I make my pappu, combining both the recipes, a confluence of Karnataka and Andhra cusines, a treat to the palates and a soothing comfort meal!
To make the Beerakaaya Pappu you would need:
1 big Ridge Gourd - Scrape the sharp ridges. Let the rest fo the peel remain.
Wash thorougly and then chop the vegetable into cubes.
2 medium sized Tomatoes or 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes - Chopped into cubes
1 small Onion - Chopped into cubes
5 green chillies - Slit Lengthwise
5 cloves Garlic - Peeled
1 small piece Tamarind
1 1/2 cup Toor Dal - Washed
Method:
Combine all of the above, a pinch of turmeric and pressure cook with enough water (enough to cover the above mixture) for about 2 whistles. Cool and set aside.
Once cool, using a wooden spoon or a hand mixer, mash all of the above gently until everything is well blended. Add salt, 1 tsp of red chilli powder, 1 cup of water and boil for about 5 minutes. Then season with mustard seeds, cumin seeds or jeera, curry leaves, urad dal, channa dal and 1 tbsp of chopped onions. Garnish with grated coconut and serve with hot rice.
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