Peerkan kai Thovayal

Ridge Gourd Chutney - my G.Mom's favourite. She would keep the peel aside to make this chutney. If our cook dared to not make this or bin the peel,...

There is a tradition that you should visit Kasi (Varanasi), at least once in your lifetime. This Yatra is undertaken to perform Vedic rites for our ancestors. Also, we have to give up our favourite fruit and vegetable, as part of some ritual. When some one returns from a Yatra, we visit to seek their blessings and the important discussion would be "What did you give up?"

Peerkan Kai was my Grand mother's favourite, and she gave it up when she went to Kasi.

Ingredients:

Peel of 1 Ridge Gourd

Onion - 1/4 cup

Tomato - 1, small

Oil - 1 Tbsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Chillies - 3 - 4

Salt - to taste

Tamarind - 1/4 tsp (1 very small piece)

Coconut - 3 Tbsp

Method:

Using a scrapper, remove the bony part of the ridge gourd. Peel the skin and use the soft inside to make Kootu / Kuzhambu.

Chop the onions and tomatoes. Slit / break the chillies (I use half green and half red chillies).

Heat oil in a thick Kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Then add Urad dal and Chillies.

Immediately, add onions and stir fry until it changes colour. Add the chopped peel and saute well.

Next, add tomatoes, tamarind and salt.

Saute well and then add the coconut. Stir fry on high for 1 minute and take off heat.

Cool and grind to a smooth chutney using very little water.

Heat 1 tsp oil and season with mustard and curry leaves. Mix into chutney.

Serve with Hot Idli / Rice, along with a teaspoon of Ghee, Gingelly Oil.