Peerthangai Thogozhal - Ridge Gourd Chutney

This is a chutney that you can either accompany with chapatis, mix it in hot rice and ghee or even with sambhar/kootu rice. Traditionally South Indians make one chutney like this as an accompaniment with their rice except that this is made with vegetables such as ridge gourd, coconut, coriander leaves. This is my mother's recipe and as usual a very good one!

Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 Ridge Gourd

• Salt, to taste

• 2 tsps Oil

• 1/2 cup Fresh grated coconut

• 1/2 lemon sized Tamarind

Roast and grind to a powder

• 1 tsp Ghee

• 3 tbsp Urad dal

• 4 Red chillies

• 1 tsp Hing

Instructions

1. Remove the skin of the ridge gourd and cut into thin roundlets

2. In a pan take the powder ingredients and roast till the urad dal becomes light brown

3. In the same pan, take 2 tsps oil and start roasting the ridge gourd till it becomes shrivelled

4. In a blender grind the tamarind, coconut and the roasted mixture without adding water

5. Add the ridge gourd, salt and grind without adding water till everything gets mixed well

6. This should be refrigerated and can be had mixed with rice but goes best with chapathi and a dal