Stuffed Ridge Gourd (Peerkangai, Beerakaya,Turai)

          This month, for the ' Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge ' event ( started by Priya ), I was paired up Sangee Vijay of Spicy Treats, and she had given me ridge gourd and cabbage as the two ingredients. I don't have to give an introduction for Sangee, she is well known in the blogger community and her blog has so many delicious recipes, and also, she is one of the first few people to comment and encourage me in my beginning days of blogging. Coming to the ingredients, I was slightly skeptical, both of them vegetables and I was not sure how I was going to combine them in a dish. Then the idea of stuffing the ridge gourd popped up, I have seen a lot of recipes, most of them used a peanut based stuffing, I thought I could use the cabbage as a stuffing. The dish turned out absolutely delicious, the cabbage stuffing tasted really good with the ridge gourd, we had it with rotis and dal but I am sure, it would go well with rice too..

Need To Have

• Ridge Gourd/Peerkangai/Beerakaya/Turai - 2 medium
• Shredded Cabbage - 1 cup, packed
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Salt to taste

To Powder

• Peanuts - 3 tablespoons
• Coriander Seeds - 1 tablespoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Method

          Roast the peanuts, cool and remove the skin. Dry roast the coriander, cumin, fenugreek and mustard seeds ( given under 'to powder' ).

          Cool and powder the coriander,cumin,fenugreek and mustard seeds along with the peanuts and red chilly powder and asafoetida and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the shredded cabbage, mix, add some salt, cover and cook, sauteing in between till the cabbage is cooked and wilted. Add the ground powder, reduce the heat and mix it, remove and cool it a little.

          In the meantime, peel the ridge gourd, cut them into 2 to 3 inch pieces, then slit them as shown in the picture. Stuff the ridge gourd pieces with the cabbage mixture.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, reduce the heat and add the curry leaves followed by the turmeric and red chilly powder.

           Mix and immediately add the ridge gourd pieces, leftover cabbage mixture and salt. Mix, cover and cook on medium-low heat, till the ridge gourd becomes soft, keep mixing at intervals. Remove and serve it warm with rotis or rice along with some dal/lentils.

Note
When buying ridge gourds, look for long slender ones, always taste a small piece, it should not taste bitter but slightly sweet.