Ridge Gourd Curry Powder Sauté is one of my comfort foods. Ridge gourd has sharp ridges on the outside but is soft and tender on the inside, with a mild flavor and sweetness of its own that complements any spices you add. There are tons of ridge gourd recipes in the Indian cuisine and most of them are delicious. I say most of them because ingredients used can sometimes overpower the flavor of the vegetable, leaving an unpleasant taste.
It took me a few tries to master this recipe, especially since I was cooking the vegetable a little too long, making it mushy. This gourd is so tender that it softens almost within 5 minutes on medium flame. You need to be mindful of this. I also had to make sure that I perfected the ingredient measurement here, since it is a fine balance of spices with the natural flavor and texture of the vegetable. Ridge gourd is naturally sweet when cooked so the end result is a delicious sweet and spicy taste you’ll absolutely love!
Ridge Gourd
Curry Powder Blend
This recipe involves roasting and blending some spices and I find it easy to use a spice/coffee bean blender for this purpose, instead of my regular food processor. It is so quick and efficient! Ideally, I would make a bunch of it and store in the refrigerator for future use, but fresh tastes so much better. And it takes all of 5 minutes, so why not do fresh?
Curry Powder Ingredients
Bitter Ridge Gourd?!
On rare occasions (especially on hot summer days) you may get a gourd that’s bitter, but don’t get put off by it. Bitterness in ridge gourd is due to the presence of a compound called cucurbitacin. This contributes to ridge gourd flavor in small amounts, but in large amounts causes bitterness. Hot, dry weather increases the levels of this compound.
How to pick the perfect Ridge Gourd in grocery stores? Make sure the vegetable is dark green in color and is firm to touch. There needs to be a little ‘give’ but not too much. Gently peel the ridges off but not too much!
Ridge gourd is rich in dietary fiber and enriched with all the vital elements that include Vitamin C, Zinc, Iron, Riboflavin, Magnesium, Thiamine and traces of other minerals. This is a lightly sautéed and mildly spiced dish that retains most of the nutrient value of the vegetable. A great recipe for the calorie conscious.
Here’s our other ridge gourd recipe: Ridge Gourd Chutney
And here are a few of our delicious sautéed veggie recipes:
- Eggplant Potato Spicy Medley
- Spicy Cilantro Ginger Eggplant Sauté
- Raw Banana-Potato Sauté
- Spine Gourd Sauté
- Sautéed Okra
- Cluster Beans-Coconut-Ginger Sauté
- Fresh Fenugreek Eggplant Sauté
- Carrot, Green Bean, Coconut Sauté
- Snake Gourd Coconut Sauté
- Opo Squash Sesame Sauté
- Broad Bean Eggplant Sauté
- Sautéed Sprouts and Vegetables
- Sautéed Bitter Gourd
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Ridge Gourd Curry Powder Sauté
Ingredients
- 3/4 Pound Ridge Gourd
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil - Extra Virgin
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
Curry Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Chana Dal - Split Bengal Gram
- 1 Tablespoon Urad Dal - Split Matpe Beans
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 Red Chili Red Chili Pepper - Stalk removed
Instructions
- Peel ridge gourd and cut to half inch cubes. Set aside chana dal, cumin seeds, red chili, mustard and cumin seeds in a bowl
Stove Top Preparation
- Sauté chana dal, red chili, mustard and cumin seeds in a pinch of oil for a few minutes , transfer to a bowl and allow them to cool
- Transfer contents to a blender, add salt and blend into a coarse powder.
- Sauté the ridge gourd in oil for 5 to 7 minutes on medium flame till the water evaporates.
- Add blended spice powder and stir to spread evenly. Cook for 5 minutes and transfer to a serving bowl.
Instant Pot Preparation
- Set IP to 'Sauté' mode and add half a teaspoon of oil; once the 'Hot' sign comes up, add spice blend and roast for about 5 minutes till urad and chana dal turns slightly brown.
- Transfer contents to a blender, add salt and blend into a coarse powder.
- Add 3/4 tablespoon of oil to the IP pan and start sautéing ridge gourd. Add salt and continue stirring and cooking till almost all the moisture from the vegetable evaporates.
- Add the blended spice mix, stir well to ensure it is evenly spread and transfer to a container for serving.
- Serve with steamed brown rice and other accompaniments like dal, chutney etc
