Ridge gourd chutney comprises the freshness of ridge gourd, urad dal, peanuts and different spices along with a flavorful tadka. Follow my step-by-step guide to make ridge gourd chutney at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ridge gourd chutney is a unique condiment.
- Refrigerate the chutney in a sealed container for prolonged freshness.
- Serve the chutney with South Indian dishes, steamed rice, Indian bread, sandwiches, fritters or pakoras, snacks, or grilled vegetables.
- Ridge gourd chutney offers a nutty, earthy, and tangy taste.
- For a different taste experiment you can try bottle gourd chutney, cabbage chutney, and radish chutney.
I tasted this dish for the first time at a food fair in Jaipur. Its smoky and spicy taste stayed in my mind for many days. As soon as I returned home, I started searching for a similar recipe on the internet. After trying many versions, I finally found the same taste. The aroma that was coming while it was being made reminded me of that fair. Its texture, spices and taste were perfect. My brothers and sister liked it so much that they asked me if I had ordered it from outside. I thought, this was the biggest complement I could receive for my achievement.
How to Make Ridge Gourd Chutney? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a wok and heat it on a low to medium flame on your gas stove. When it is hot enough, put 2 tsp of white oil in it. When the oil becomes hot enough, add 1 tsp of split black lentil (urad dal) and 1 tsp of cumin seeds in it. Stir them for about a minute to fry them nicely until they change their color. then, add 1 tbsp of raw peanuts with their skin and stir them for another minute or two so that they are fried nicely and change their color slightly. Now, add 5 roughly cut fresh green chilies and about 10 pieces of fresh curry leaves and stir them continuously for about a couple of minutes until they are fried nicely and turn golden brown. Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside.
(Pro Tip: You can use any type of white oil you have at home to make this chutney. The number of green chilies to add is a matter of personal preference. If you want to have a chutney that is very hot and spicy, add more green chilies to it. If you want it to be mildly spicy and hot, reduce the number of green chilies).
Step 2: Now, put 250 gm of peeled and chopped ridge gourd into the wok. Stir them for about a minute. Now put 1 tsp of regular table salt into it and mix before putting 2 medium-sized pieces of chopped fresh and ripe tomatoes in it. Mix them nicely. Now add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and ½ cup of fresh coriander leaves and mix with the content nicely.
Step 3: Then add 2 tsp of tamarind juice and mix it nicely with all other ingredients in the wok.
(Pro Tip: Do not add too much of tamarind juice. Remember, the tomatoes will already add to it tanginess. You surely would not like to make your chutney unnecessarily tangier).
Step 4: Now, cover the wok and let the ingredients cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame. Now, remove the cover, give it a final stir to mix the secreted juice nicely with everything, turn the flame of your gas stove off, and set the pan aside so that the ingredients cool down completely at room temperature.
(Pro Tip: It is better to transfer the content to a separate plate. This will end the cooking process and expedite the cooling process).
Step 5: While these ingredients cool off, take a grinder and put the fried green chiles, peanuts, and other spices in it. Then add 6 to 8 deskinned cloves of garlic to it.
Step 6: Finally, put the cooked ridge gourd in it, provided it has cooled down completely.
(Pro Tip: Cooling the ingredients is very important. This is because the slightest of heat may affect the eventual color of the chutney. As it is, the rotating motor of the grinder will generate some heat. That is why you are advised to grind or blend the content in short intervals).
Step 7: Grind the ingredients just once to get a coarse paste without adding any water to it initially.
(Pro Tip: Always add water if needed after checking the consistency. Also, make sure that you add water gradually and blend it every time until you get the desired consistency of the paste).
Step 8: When you are satisfied with the consistency of the paste, transfer it from the grinder to a bowl.
Step 9: Now, to prepare the tempering ingredients for the chutney, take a tadka pan, heat 2 tsp of white oil in medium flame and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 2 tsp of split Bengal gram (chana dal), ½ tsp of asafetida powder, 1 piece of dry red chili, tearing it in half, and 6 pieces of fresh curry leaves. Stir them and cook them nicely for about 15 to 20 seconds.
Step 10: Transfer the tempering ingredient immediately to the bowl containing the paste and finally your tasty, spicy, homemade ridge gourd chutney is ready to be served with a variety of dishes and snacks like idli, dosa, and others.
Recipe Card
Ridge Gourd Chutney
Ingredients
For making the chutney paste:
- 250 gm fresh ridge gourd peeled and chopped
- 2 tsp white oil
- 1 tsp split black lentil urad dal
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp peanuts raw
- 5 pieces green chilies roughly cut
- 10 pieces curry leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 pieces tomatoes ripe, medium size, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander leaves
- 2 tsp tamarind juice
- 8 cloves garlic deskinned
For tempering the chutney:
- 2 tsp white oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tsp split Bengal gram chana dal
- 1/2 tsp asafetida powder
- 1 piece dry red chili without stalk, torn in half
- 6 pieces curry leaves
Instructions
- Take a wok and heat it on a low to medium flame on your gas stove. When it is hot enough, put 2 tsp of white oil in it. When the oil becomes hot enough, add 1 tsp of split black lentil (urad dal) and 1 tsp of cumin seeds in it. Stir them for about a minute to fry them nicely until they change their color. then, add 1 tbsp of raw peanuts with their skin and stir them for another minute or two so that they are fried nicely and change their color slightly. Now, add 5 roughly cut fresh green chilies and about 10 pieces of fresh curry leaves and stir them continuously for about a couple of minutes until they are fried nicely and turn golden brown. Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside. (Pro Tip: You can use any type of white oil you have at home to make this chutney. The number of green chilies to add is a matter of personal preference. If you want to have a chutney that is very hot and spicy, add more green chilies to it. If you want it to be mildly spicy and hot, reduce the number of green chilies).
- Now, put 250 gm of peeled and chopped ridge gourd into the wok. Stir them for about a minute. Now put 1 tsp of regular table salt into it and mix before putting 2 medium-sized pieces of chopped fresh and ripe tomatoes in it. Mix them nicely. Now add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and ½ cup of fresh coriander leaves and mix with the content nicely.
- Then add 2 tsp of tamarind juice and mix it nicely with all other ingredients in the wok. (Pro Tip: Do not add too much of tamarind juice. Remember, the tomatoes will already add to it tanginess. You surely would not like to make your chutney unnecessarily tangier).
- Now, cover the wok and let the ingredients cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame. Now, remove the cover, give it a final stir to mix the secreted juice nicely with everything, turn the flame of your gas stove off, and set the pan aside so that the ingredients cool down completely at room temperature. (Pro Tip: It is better to transfer the content to a separate plate. This will end the cooking process and expedite the cooling process).
- While these ingredients cool off, take a grinder and put the fried green chiles, peanuts, and other spices in it. Then add 6 to 8 deskinned cloves of garlic to it.
- Finally, put the cooked ridge gourd in it, provided it has cooled down completely. (Pro Tip: Cooling the ingredients is very important. This is because the slightest of heat may affect the eventual color of the chutney. As it is, the rotating motor of the grinder will generate some heat. That is why you are advised to grind or blend the content in short intervals).
- Grind the ingredients just once to get a coarse paste without adding any water to it initially. (Pro Tip: Always add water if needed after checking the consistency. Also, make sure that you add water gradually and blend it every time until you get the desired consistency of the paste).
- When you are satisfied with the consistency of the paste, transfer it from the grinder to a bowl.
- Now, to prepare the tempering ingredients for the chutney, take a tadka pan, heat 2 tsp of white oil in medium flame and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 2 tsp of split Bengal gram (chana dal), ½ tsp of asafetida powder, 1 piece of dry red chili, tearing it in half, and 6 pieces of fresh curry leaves. Stir them and cook them nicely for about 15 to 20 seconds.
- Transfer the tempering ingredient immediately to the bowl containing the paste and finally your tasty, spicy, homemade ridge gourd chutney is ready to be served with a variety of dishes and snacks like idli, dosa, and others.
