Beerakaya Masala Koora/ Turai / RidgeGourd Masala Curry

Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:10mins   CookTime:Given Below   Cuisine:Indian

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RidgeGourd/Beerakaya/Turai is a vegetable which I use very commonly, once in every week for sure.

This veggie is so nutritious that its ridge skin/peel is also useful for cooking. Bear in mind that peel of FRESH ridgegourd/beerakaya is best suitable for this chutney. Generally, I use both the ridgegourd pieces and its peel as well, for cooking. So, we get 2 separate dishes with one vegetable.

My recipe with Ridge gourd peels⇒  Beerapottu Pachchadi / Ridgegourd Peel Chutney

Health Benefits of Turai / Ridge Gourd

Turai is a water vegetable very mild in taste and soft in texture. It has various health benefits like helps in weight loss, is rich in fiber, is used for post-natal recovery,has low cholesterol (info from internet).

Caution: Don’t panic seeing the long list of ingredients for this curry, all of them are mostly available in any pantry. Just get them at one place and then start the cooking.

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips  mentioned at the end.

My Curry recipes collection here⇒ Curry / Koora / Stir Fry

Instant Pot recipes collection⇒   Instant Pot / Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes

Related Posts⇒

1. Beerapottu Pachchadi / RidgeGourd Peel Chutney
2. Aloo-Matar Masala / Potato-Peas Gravy Curry
3. Jeera Pulao / Cumin Rice

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 Ingredients:

• Beerakaya / Ridge Gourd / Turai – 1 medium size
• Desiccated Coconut / Yendu Kobbari  – ¼ cup
• Peanuts / Palleelu  –  ¼ cup
• Sesame Seeds / Nuvvulu – ¼ cup
• Mustard Seeds / Aavaalu – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder / Dhaniyala Podi – 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder/ Curry Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Green Chillies – 5 (slit length wise)
• Ginger – 1 teaspoon (chopped)
• Garlic – 1 teaspoon (chopped)
• Fresh Coriander – 3 tablespoons
• Curry Leaves – 5 to 6 (optional)
• Salt – 2 teaspoons / as per taste
• Red Chilli Powder – 1½ teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Onion – 2 small size (chopped)
• Cooking Oil – 3 tablespoon
• Tamarind Pulp/ Chinthapandu Gujju- 1 tablespoon
• Water – [½ cup + ½ cup]

Special Ingredients:

• Dessicated Coconut / YenduKobbari Podi
• Roasted Peanut Powder / Palleela Podi
• Sesame Seed Powder / Nuvvula Podi
• Tamarind Pulp/ Chinthapandu Gujju

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Beerakaya masala / turai curry’:

PREP WORK(for both methods):

• For the paste/ sauce/ gravy, put a frying pan on stove top under low flame, and dry roast the sesame seeds until they splutter.
  

  Sesame seeds before dry roast

  

  Sesame seeds after dry roast
• Repeat the same method for peanuts as well.
• Take the roasted sesame seeds /nuvvulu, roasted groundnut/ peanuts and desiccated coconut into a blender.
• Add enough water (½ cup) and make it into smooth paste. Set aside for later use.
• Wash the Ridge Gourd / Beerakaya thoroughly, peel the skin and keep it aside. 
• Cut the veggie into small chunks and slit open each chunk at one end.
  

  

STOVE TOP METHOD(time:15mins)

• Put a frying pan on stove top under medium flame, add oil and heat it.
• Add the mustard seeds / aavaalu and let them splutter.
• Transfer the chopped onion pieces, slit green chillies, curry leaves, finely chopped ginger & garlic (optional).
  

  

• Let the onions become transparent, then add all the veggie chunks, turmeric powder and salt.
  

  

• Close the pan with lid, and in between, just give a stir. Let the pieces become soft. (takes 5-8 mins).
• Then, add the coriander/dhaniya powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder into the pan.
  

  

• Give a stir and leave it for 2 mins with lid on pan.
• When the ridge gourd pieces have completely softened, only then add whole of the sauce/paste (which we set aside), half of chopped coriander and ½ cup of water.
  

  

• Mix everything couple of times, then add the tamarind pulp/ chinthapandu.
  

  

• Give a mix,close the pan with lid for more 3-4 mins.
• Later,switch the flame off, transfer the curry/sabzi into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander. Done!!

INSTANT POT METHOD(time:5 mins)

• Switch the gadget ON. Set it to SAUTE mode, for 4 mins.
• Add the oil,let it heat. Next,add the mustard seeds let them splutter.
• Transfer the chopped onion, green chillies, ginger & garlic (optional) too.
• Fry the onions, let them become transparent. 
• Then, add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and coriander powder. 
• Now, transfer all the ridge gourd chunks, tamarind pulp and sauce / paste (which we prepared) into the same.
• Add a ¼ cup of water. Give everything a gentle mix. Top up with few coriander leaves.
• Close the lid, seal the valve. Set to PRESSURE COOK mode, for 2 mins under high pressure.
• Release the pressure quickly (QPR) or naturally (NPR).
• Optionally, Set it to SAUTE MODE, for 2 more mins, until the curry reaches the desired thickness.
• Garnish with chopped coriander. Done!

Tips:

• Caution: Don’t panic seeing the long list of ingredients, all of them are mostly available in any pantry. Just get them at one place and then start the cooking.
• You can use the peel of ridgegourd/ beerakaya/ turai for making chutney/dip, just like me. My chutney recipe is⇒ Beerapottu Pachchadi / RidgeGourd Peel Chutney
• Adjust the salt and spice as per your taste.
• Instead of fresh ginger & garlic, you can use ginger-garlic paste too.
• After adding the sauce/paste, stir continuously, to avoid sticking to the pan.
• You can store this, Beerakaya masala / Turai curry in fridge and can use it upto 1 week.

Result:

• The taste of this, Beerakaya masala / Turai curry gives such a heavenly feeling.
• Its super delicious in taste and texture is very smooth even the veggie chunks have caught up the masala into them.
• We had it as a side for buns. (That day, I was a bit lazy to prepare roti 🙂 ) My kids loved it too.
• Beerakaya masala / Turai curry, tastes best with chapathi, roti, rice, any pulao too.
  

  

• Look at the pic below, the whole veggie chunk. Don’t you think this curry looks exactly like any other kofta curry. I felt so.
  

  

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Ridge Gourd / Turai / Beerakaya Masala Curry

VegCookBook by Praveena

High fiber, low fat, Vegan side dish for roti / rice, made in Instant Pot / Stove top. Suitable for party / gathering,kids friendly & storage friendly.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

• Blender/Grinder/Mixie.
• Frying pan (for stove-top method)
• Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker (for IP method)

Ingredients

  

• 1 count Beerakaya / Ridge Gourd / Turai (medium size)
• ¼ cup Desiccated Coconut / Yendu Kobbari
• ¼ cup Peanuts / Palleelu
• ¼ cup Sesame Seeds / Nuvvulu
• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds / Aavaalu
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder / Dhaniyala Podi
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder/ Curry Powder
• 5 count Green Chillies (slit length wise)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger (chopped)
• teaspoon Fresh Garlic (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
• 6 count Curry Leaves (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Salt (or as per taste)
• 1½ teaspoons Red Chilli Powder (or as per taste)
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 2 count Onion (small size) (chopped)
• 3 tablespoon Cooking Oil
• 1 tablespoon Tamarind Pulp/ Chinthapandu Gujju
• 1 cup Water (or as required)

Instructions

 

PREP WORK:

• For the paste/ sauce/ gravy, Put a frying pan on stove top under low flame, and dry roast the sesame seeds until they splutter. Repeat the same method for peanuts.
• Take the roasted sesame seeds /nuvvulu, roasted groundnut/ peanuts and desiccated coconut into a blender.

  Add enough water (½ cup) and make it into smooth paste. Set aside for later use.
• Wash the Ridge Gourd / Beerakaya thoroughly, peel the skin and keep it aside. 

  Cut the veggie into small chunks and slit open each chunk at one end.

STOVE TOP METHOD(time:15mins)

• Put a frying pan on stove top under medium flame, add oil and heat it.

  Add the mustard seeds / aavaalu and let them splutter.
• Transfer the chopped onion pieces, slit green chillies, curry leaves, finely chopped ginger & garlic (optional).

  Let the onions become transparent, then add all the veggie chunks, turmeric powder and salt.
• Close the pan with lid, and in between, just give a stir. Let the pieces become soft. (takes 5-8 mins).
• Then, add the coriander/dhaniya powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder into the pan.

  Give a stir and leave it for 2 mins with lid on pan.
• When the ridge gourd pieces have completely softened, only then add whole of the sauce/paste (which we set aside), half of chopped coriander and ½ cup of water.

  Mix everything couple of times, then add the tamarind pulp/ chinthapandu.
• Give a mix,close the pan with lid for more 3-4 mins.

  Later,switch the flame off, transfer the curry/sabzi into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander. Done!!

INSTANT POT METHOD(time:5mins)

• Switch the gadget ON. Set it to SAUTE mode, for 4 mins.

  Add the oil,let it heat. Next,add the mustard seeds let them splutter.

  Transfer the chopped onion, green chillies, ginger & garlic (optional) too.
• Fry the onions, let them become transparent. 

  Then, add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and coriander powder. 
• Now, transfer all the ridge gourd chunks, tamarind pulp and sauce / paste (which we prepared) into the same.

  Add a ¼ cup of water. Give everything a gentle mix. Top up with few coriander leaves.
• Close the lid, seal the valve. Set to PRESSURE COOK mode, for 2 mins under high pressure.
• Release the pressure quickly (QPR) or naturally (NPR).

  Optionally, Set it to SAUTE MODE, for 2 more mins, until the curry reaches the desired thickness.

  Garnish with chopped coriander. Done!

Notes

Please see the MAIN POST for step wise pics & tips!

Keyword ridge gourd curry recipe, side dish for chapathi / rice

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