Turai Moong Dal Sabzi (Ridge Gourd Moong Dal)
Turai Moong Dal Sabzi is a traditional South Indian curry made using ridge gourd and a blend of flavorful spices. It doesn't take long to cook, making it perfect for a weekday meal rotation. It's a quick and a perfect choice for a simple yet satisfying dinner with rice or chapati.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 117kcal
Equipment
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1.5 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Handful Curry leaves
- Big Pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
- 190 gms (or) 1 Cup (or) 1 large Onion peeled and chopped
- ½ inch Ginger peeled and grated
- 3 Cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 2 Green Chillies slit
- 150 gms (or) 1 Cup (or) 1 large Tomato chopped
- 500 gms (or) 4 cups Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya)
- ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
- 1.5 Teaspoons Coriander Powder
- Salt as required
- 70 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Moong Dal
- 1 Cup Water
- Handful Fresh Coriander Leaves chopped
- 15 gms (or) Tablespoon Desiccated Coconut
Instructions
- Place moong dal in a bowl and rinse it with cold running tap water 2-3 times. Pour fresh water and soak it for 20 minutes.70 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Moong Dal
- Meanwhile, wash, peel, and chop the ridge gourd and other vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking.500 gms (or) 4 cups Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya)
- Gather all the ingredients on the kitchen platform and plug in an instant pot pressure cooker,
- Press the saute button and add oil.1.5 Tablespoons Oil
- Once the oil is hot, start tempering by adding mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds and urad dal in hot oil. Let the cumin sizzle and saute for few seconds or until the urad dal turns golden.1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, 1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Now add asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for a minute.Handful Curry leaves, Big Pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
- Then, add chopped onion and sauté until the onions turn translucent.190 gms (or) 1 Cup (or) 1 large Onion
- Next add garlic, ginger, and green chilies and saute for a minute.½ inch Ginger, 3 Cloves Garlic, 2 Green Chillies
- Add tomato and chopped ridge gourd and stir well. Avoid overcooking the ridge gourd; it becomes mushy if cooked for too long. Cook for just a few minutes after adding the ridge gourd to retain its texture.500 gms (or) 4 cups Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya), 150 gms (or) 1 Cup (or) 1 large Tomato
- Now add powdered spices - turmeric, coriander powder, salt and red chilli powder and mix well.¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 2 Teaspoons Red Chilli Powder, 1.5 Teaspoons Coriander Powder, Salt
- Drain water from the soaked dal and add it to the pot.Mix well with a spoon.
- Add water and deglaze by scraping the base of the pot with a spoon.1 Cup Water
- Then press the cancel button. Secure the pot with a lid and move the pressure valve to steam.
- Press the pressure cook/manual button and set the timer for 2 minutes at high pressure.
- Initially, the instant pot shows ON and the timer begins when the pressure is built up.
- Once the timer countdown goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, move the pressure valve to the vent and wait until all the pressure is released and the small knob beside the pressure valve drops.
- Open the lid once the pressure valve drops.
- Finish with fresh coriander leaves and desiccated coconut for a burst of freshness and colour.Handful Fresh Coriander Leaves, 15 gms (or) Tablespoon Desiccated Coconut
- Serve piping hot ridge gourd curry with rice or chapathi.
Notes
Choosing Ridge Gourd: Select fresh tender ridge gourds that are firm and free from blemishes or soft spots. Younger ridge gourds tend to be more tender. Avoid using mature gourd.
Taste Gourd: Some ridge gourds can have a bitter taste. Ensure to check the taste while dicing. Discard if it tastes bitter.
Preparation: Wash the ridge gourd thoroughly. Peel the skin and chop it into 1 inch uniform pieces for even cooking. Do not chop finely as they might turn mushy.
Liquid Control: Ridge gourd releases water while cooking, so add liquid depending on your required consistency. I’ve used just half a cup water to cook dal and gourd.
Seasoning: Adjust salt and spices according to your taste. Remember, you can always add more, but it’s hard to fix an over salty or spicy dish.
Soak Dal: Soaking moong dal is essential as it cuts down cooking time and helps cook dal well at the same time as gourd.
Deglaze: Ensure to deglaze the pot by scraping off any browned bits stuck at the bottom. This prevents the “burn” message and ensures even cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
