Guthi Beerakaya curry/Creamy Ridge gourd Curry

During Summer months, ridge gourd cooked in milk gravy is an often made curry in our house. We tend to make it atleast once a week as this is pretty much one of my hubby dear's favorite curry. After eating the same curry for 3 to 4 months already, my taste buds started protesting and I have to think of a different recipe that can be made with ridge gourd. 
This is one such recipe I tried and hubby dear is very reluctant to taste this at first. Once he tasted it, he went for second and third servings which made me super happy. Give it a try and I can say that you will not be disappointed..

Ingredients

1 Beerakaya/Ridge gourd
1/2 tomato finely chopped
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
1/4 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp Grated coconut or dried coconut powder
Red chilli pwd per taste
1 cup Water
Couple of pinches Garam masala
Juice of half lemon
Salt per taste
2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

For Paste

1 tbsp Sesame seeds
1/4 cup Ground nuts
8 Cashews
8 Almonds
5 Dried red chillies
1 tsp Salt

Method

Dry roast sesame seed, ground nuts and dried red chillies separately and set aside. Heat a tsp of ghee and roast cashews and almonds. Take all the paste ingredients into a blender and make into a paste. Do not add any water.
Peel the skin off the ridge gourd and cut into 2 inch pieces. Make deep slits on each piece 3/4th way in the form of a + making sure not to cut through the pieces completely as shown in picture below.
Now with one hand hold each piece and with the other hand stuff each of them with the masala paste. Keep the leftover masala paste aside.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the stuffed ridge gourd pieces lightly. Be careful and stir gently without breaking the pieces. Take them into a bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee, oil in a pressure cook. Add in mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add in onions, ginger garlic paste and salt. Let the onions cook till light golden brown. Add in tomato and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. 
Add in 1 cup of water, leftover paste, garam masala powder and give it a good stir. Once the water comes to a boil, add in ridge gourd pieces, check and adjust the seasonings. Add in red chili powder at this point if required. 
Close the pressure cooker lid, place the whistle and cook till one whistle. 
Turn off the heat and set the pressure cooker aside till all the pressure is gone. Once the pressure is gone take off the lid and place on the stove on medium flame and bring the gravy to a boil. 
Add in coconut and let the gravy cook till the coconut is cooked and gravy comes to desired consistency. Gently stir the curry occasionally without breaking the pieces. Add in lemon juice, check and adjust seasonings one last time and turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Note

The same stuffing can be used for eggplant or tindora as well.
You can pretty much add any nuts you want along with cashews and almonds.
You can always cover and cook the recipe in a pan till the pieces are tender instead of in a pressure cooker.








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