Jhinge Aloo Posto (Ridge Gourd & Potato in Poppy Seeds Gravy - Bengali Style)

 

          JHINGE ALOO POSTO is a traditional Bengali recipe, where ridge gourd and potatoes are cooked in a poppy seeds gravy. It is a popular menu on a Bong platter. Very simple and easy to prepare, it is my all time favorite dish. It is cooked in mustard oil to get that authentic flavor. 

          Serve with a drizzle of some extra mustard oil to the end product. It is an absolute delicacy that goes extremely well with hot steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

          

               Poppy seeds is very much relished by most Bengalis and veggies cooked with poppy seeds paste is a popular menu on a Bengali platter. In fact, my favorite indulgence during my India visit is poppy seeds. 

               As it is not available at my place of residence, I added sesame seeds instead. However, there was no change is the taste and flavor. So I try making various posto recipes with sesame seeds. Sometimes, I also substitute sesame seeds with cashew nuts. 

• 2-3 ridge gourd (turai), chopped
• 1 medium size potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds / poppy seeds, ground with some water
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan and stir fry the potatoes till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the onion and ginger. Stir fry till light brown.

          Add the chopped ridge gourd, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. 

          Then add the fried potatoes and the sesame seeds / poppy seeds paste. Mix well and stir fry for a minute. 

           Add 3/4 cup water and simmer, covered, till the gravy turns thick. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and a drizzle of 1 tsp. mustard oil. Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan & stir fry the potatoes till light brown. Keep aside. 

Heat remaining oil & temper with nigella seeds & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Then add the onion & ginger. Stir fry till light brown.

Add the chopped ridge gourd, salt & turmeric powder. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.

                      Then add the fried potatoes

 and the sesame seeds / poppy seeds paste. Mix well & stir fry for a minute. 

          Add 3/4 cup water & simmer, covered, till the gravy turns thick. 

           Garnish with coriander leaves & a drizzle of 1 tsp. mustard oil. 

                    Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

Turai Ka Salan (Ridge Gourd Curry - Pakistani style)

 

             Here is a simple and an easy recipe of Turai (Ridge gourd) cooked in the Pakistani style. So far I cooked Turai with lentils - either tuvar dal or roasted moong dal. So this dish was really something new and delicious. 

            As usual I made it spicy and tangy to suit my palate. So go ahead and try this recipe and I am sure it will be appreciated. It can be relished with steamed rice, jeera rice or any Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 Turai (Ridge Gourd), sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 fresh red chilies. slit
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste / 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• coriander leaves, sliced lime and chopped onion to garnish

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the onion and fry till they turn slightly brown in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices mixed with a little water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the turai and combine everything well. To it add salt to taste and sauté on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, till the turai turns soft and the gravy thickens.

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. 

          Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, paratha, naan, tandoori roti or phulka. 

Note - 

1.  If using tomatoes, add them after the onions have turned brown. 

2.  You can also add some lime juice while serving.

  Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & slit chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add onion & fry till they turn slightly brown in colour.

         Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all the dry spices 

         mixed with a little water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                  Add the turai & mix everything well. 

     To it add salt to taste & sauté on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

Add 1/2 cup water & cook, covered, till the turai turns soft & the gravy thickens. 

      Add 1/2 cup water & cook, covered, till the turai turns soft & the 

      gravy thickens. When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

              Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, paratha, 

              naan, tandoori roti or phulka. 

Beerakaya Pachadi (Turai / Ridge Gourd Chutney - Andhra style)

 

             Beerakaya Pachadi is an Andhra style spicy and tangy chutney made of Ridge Gourd or Turai. It is best enjoyed with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee. However, you may also enjoy with paratha or chapatti. In fact, Ridge Gourd tastes better if prepared in a chutney form than any curry form. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic and lip smacking regional delicacy.

           Chutney typically holds an important place in a South Indian platter. So this Turai chutney is very popular in many regions of Andhra and Telangana, where it is enjoyed by the local folk.

           It simply tastes awesome with just rice and ghee and you don't need anything else to satiate your hunger. A simple meal like this brings a deep satisfaction beyond compare. 

           Among the varieties of chutneys found in this region, this Ridge Gourd chutney holds a prominent place in an Andhra / Telangana menu platter. 

           It tastes both spicy and tangy with a simple tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida and urad dal.         

• 2 medium size Ridge Gourd, peeled & chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3-4 garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• handful of coriander leaves
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida

          Heat oil in a wok / pan and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Then add the chopped garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the Ridge Gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder and roasted coriander powder. Mix everything well and cook, covered till it is almost done.

          Add the coriander leaves and tamarind paste. Continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Switch off the flame. 

           Pour this tempering over the Pachadi. Mix well and add lime juice. Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

                                  Peel the ridge gourd and chop them.

                                Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                        Then add the chopped garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

                       Add the Ridge Gourd and all the dry spices. Mix well & cook, covered

                       till it is almost done.

                       Add coriander leaves & tamarind paste. Sauté for a minute. Switch off

                       the flame and keep aside to cool down. 

                                 Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

                      Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies & 

                      urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                Then add the curry leaves & asafoetida. Switch off the flame. 

                         Pour this tempering over the Pachadi and mix well.

                        Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Bhaja Muger Dal diye Jhinge Torkari (Turai / Ridge Gourd - Moong Dal Curry - Bengali Style)

 

          Check out my version of a simple homemade style recipe of Turai / Ridge gourd cooked with dry roasted moong dal and some dried lentil dumplings. So it is has the crunch of the coarsely ground vadi along with the flavors of coriander leaves and ghee. 

          This is a 'no onion-no garlic' recipe, where I just gave a tempering of panch phoron, bay leaves, grated ginger and slit green chilies. You can enjoy with steamed rice or with chapatti / paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 Jhinge / Turai / Ridge gourd, chopped
• 1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted & soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 vadi / dried lentil dumplings
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee

         

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden in colour. Drain and let it cool down. Grind to a coarse powder and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves and panch phoron. After it splutters, add in the ginger and green chilies. Sauté till it turns light brown. 

          Then add the chopped turai, soaked dal, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and 1/2 cup water. 

          Mix everything well and cook, covered on a medium flame till the veggies and the lentils turns soft.

          When done, add the coriander leaves, ground vadi and ghee. Mix well and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                        Heat oil & fry the vadi till golden in colour. Drain & let it cool down. 

                        Grind to a coarse powder and keep aside. 

                                 Temper the same oil with bay leaves & panch phoron. 

                        Then add in the ginger & green chilies. Sauté till it turns light brown. 

                   Add chopped turai, soaked dal, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder & 

                   1/2 cup water.

                                 Mix well & cook, covered till the veggies & lentils are soft.

                                 When done, add the coriander leaves, ground vadi & ghee. 

                                  Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.