Beerakaya Sabji Recipe (Sattvic Ridge Gourd Curry)
This seriously yummy sattvic, and vegan beerakaya recipe is nourishing Indian comfort food at its finest. Tender ridge gourd cooked with aromatic spices, shredded coconut, and fresh curry leaves makes this sabji a family favorite.
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 207kcal
Cost: $5.50
Equipment
Ingredients
Beerakaya Sabji:
- 400 g. ridge gourd one large gourd
- 1 tablespoon canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon dried kasuri methi
- 2 green chilies hari mirch, minced
- 12 curry leaves
- 3 tablespoons shredded coconut
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
Tadka:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
- 16 curry leaves
- 3 dried chilies Byadagi, Kashmiri, or Chile Arbol
- ½ teaspoon kalonji seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- ¼ teaspoon salt
To Garnish (optional):
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Strips of green chili
Instructions
- Peel the ridge gourd and cut it into small, bite-sized pieces, roughly 1 inch (2 ½ cm.) in size.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. After 90 second, when the oil is hot, stir fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, allowing them to sizzle and pop for a few seconds.
- Stir in the Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, asafetida, dried kasoori methi, minced green chilies, and curry leaves. Stir and cook for just 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped ridge gourd to the pan and stir to coat it with the spice mixture. Add the shredded coconut, water, cilantro and salt, then cover the pan and cook over very low heat for 7-10 minutes, or until the ridge gourd is just tender.
- To prepare the tadka, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small pan. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, stir in the curry leaves, dried chilies, kalonji seeds, sesame seeds, asafetida, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously until the seeds are fragrant and slightly toasted.
- Transfer the cooked ridge gourd sabji into an attractive serving dish and top it with the tadka. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and strips of green chili before serving.
Notes
🍳 Oil’s Well That Ends Well:
Use enough oil when cooking ridge gourd. This veggie releases water, so extra oil helps it sauté evenly and develop rich flavor without getting mushy.
⏰ Timing Is Everything:
Cook this vegetable curry until just tender, keeping the ridge gourd's texture intact. Overcooking can make it bland and watery, so check for doneness early.
🥘 Peter Pan:
Use a wide, heavy pan to cook ridge gourd evenly. This allows for caramelization (without the risk of burning) instead of the piled up ridge gourd steaming in its own juices.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 198mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg