Turai sabzi with roti
Tender ridge gourd cooked in its own juices with tomato, jeera, hing and green chilli: a light summer sabzi from North Indian homes, made without onion or garlic and eaten with rotis and dal. In Maharashtra it is dodkyachi bhaji, often with a little crushed peanut, and Bengal makes jhinge posto with poppy seeds. A Jain home makes it just the same, only without the ginger.
- 40 minTime
- 38 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 10 gprotein per portion
- 390kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 750 gRidge gourd, ridges peeled, in 2 cm pieces
- 2Tomatoes, chopped
- 2Green chillies, chopped
- 1 tspGinger, grated
- 2 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tbspRefined oil
- 1 tspCumin, seeds
- 1 mlHing (asafoetida)
- 3 mlTurmeric
- 3 mlRed chilli powder
- 1 tspCoriander powder
- to tasteSalt
On the side
- 300 gAtta
- ≈ 200 mlWater, for the dough
- 1 tbspGhee, for brushing (optional)
Method
- Put the atta in a bowl and add the water little by little, kneading to a soft, smooth dough. Cover and let it rest.
- Scrape off the hard ridges of the turai with a peeler, leaving some of the green skin between them. Taste a small piece from the end: if it is bitter, don't use that one. Cut into 2 cm pieces. Chop the tomatoes, green chillies and coriander leaves and grate the ginger.
- Heat the oil in a kadai and add the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the hing, ginger and green chillies, then the tomatoes, turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the turai and salt and stir well.
- Cover and cook on a low flame for 10–12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the turai is soft and has released its juices. Don't add water.
- Meanwhile, make the rotis: divide the dough into 12 balls and roll them out thin, dusting with a little atta. Cook on a hot tawa, flip when small bubbles appear, then puff them up directly over the flame. Brush with ghee and keep them wrapped in a cloth.
- Uncover and cook for a minute or two if it is watery. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with the rotis.
