Heerekayi palya recipe - ghossale randayi - how to make ridge gourd sabzi

Heerekayi or ridge gourd palya recipe - Category - sabzi. Cuisine - Konkan region cuisine. This is a cuisine from konkan region where fresh and fleshy ridge gourds are available in plenty throughout the year. There can be two versions one with minimal spice and the other as spicy one. A spicy version of this dish goes well with roti, chapathi, curd rice and steamed rice.

I have used coarse masala paste prepared with coconut, fried red chillies, fried urad dal and sesame seeds. Small quantity of tamarind is also used to make it slightly sour. Garam masala enhances the taste and flavor. Tempering is a must in this dish as it gives an extra flavor to the dish. I do not add water while cooking ridge gourd palya. It tastes well when cooked in it's own juices.

Ridge gourd is a healthy vegetable which contains vitamin C, iron and dietary fibers. It is low in fat and calories. The dishes made with ridge gourd is light on stomach and easily digestible. So using ridge gourd often in the meal is good for all age people. Ridge gourd is called as heerekayi in kannada, ghossali in konkani, dhodka in marathi, turai or torai in hindi. 

I make few varieties of dishes with ridge gourd and those are palya, sukke, bhajji, bharli dhodka and curry. The curry made in combination with toor dal and ridge gourd is delicious and one of my favorite veg curries. Growing ridge gourd in the back yard is common in coastal konkan region.

Check out some other interesting sabzi recipes in this space hariyali chole masala, karlyachi peeth perun bhaji, kadai gobi and beans,  kadai bhindi,  paneer masala with cashew, matki usal, mushroom munchurian, bharli bhindi,  radish subzi.

Heerekayi Palya Recipe - Ridge Gourd Sabzi Recipe

Prep time : 10 mins
Cook time : 15 mins
Total time : 25 mins
Recipe type : Side Dish
Cuisine : Karnataka
Yield : Serves 2-3
Author : Vidya Chandrahas

Ingredients

• 500 grams ridge gourds / heerekayi
• 1/2  tsp mustard seeds
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1½ tbsp oil
• Salt as required

Grind to coarse paste

• 1 cup grated fresh coconut
• 6 - 7 red chillies, fried to light brown
• 1 tsp split black grams / urad dal, fried
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds / til, roasted
• 1 large grape size tamarind

Method

1. Wash and peel the ridge gourds. Reserve the peel to make chutney.
2. Cut the peeled ridge gourds into small pieces and keep it aisde.
3. Heat little oil in a kadai and fry the urad dal until aromatic.  Fry the red chillies till light brown. 
4. Roast the sesame seeds till it crackles and keep it aside. Mix the coconut, urad dal, red chillies, sesame seeds and tamarind together. 
5. Grind it to a coarse paste without adding any water. Transfer this paste to a bowl and keep it aside.
6. Heat the oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds to it.  
7. When the mustards splutter,  
8. add the curry leaves and saute for a while. Add the ridge gourds and stir nicely for  2 minutes. 
9. Further cook covered on low flame till the ridge gourds become soft.
10. Once the ridge gourds cook to soft,  add the ground masala and stir to combine.
11. Add the garam masala and salt . Stir for 3 - 4  minutes and remove from the flame.
12. Serve hot as a side dish to roti / chapathi and rice with curry.

Heerekayi Palya - step by step pictures

1.  Wash and peel the ridge gourds. Reserve the peel to make chutney.

2.  Cut the peeled ridge gourds into small pieces and keep it aisde.

3.  Heat little oil in a kadai and fry the urad dal until aromatic.  Fry the red chillies till light brown. Roast the sesame seeds till it crackles and keep it aside. Mix the coconut, urad dal, red chillies, sesame seeds and tamarind together. Grind it to a coarse paste without adding any water. Transfer this paste to a bowl and keep it aside.

4.  Heat the oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds to it.  When the mustards splutter,  add the curry leaves and saute for a while. Add the ridge gourds and stir nicely for  2 minutes. Further  cook covered on low flame till the ridge gourds become soft.

5.  Once the ridge gourds cook to soft,  add the ground masala and stir to combine.

6. Add the garam masala and salt . Stir for 3 - 4  minutes and remove from the flame.

7.  Serve hot as a side dish to roti / chapathi and rice with curry.