Beerakaya - mullakada palu posina kura (Ridge gourd-drumsticks cooked in milk)

Todays version of beerakaya/Ridge gourd curry is very simple and easy to cook. Drumsticks cooked in milk tastes yummy. I simply love the mild sweet flavor of this veggie when cooked in milk. This was one of the curry I loved since childhood and never made any fuss when it was cooked at home. In india this curry is cooked with lots of garlic and served for breast feeding mothers. Lets jump to the recipe.......

What we need ...

Beerakaya/Ridge gourd - 2

Drumsticks/mullakada - 1 (cut into 2 inch pieces)

Garlic - 6 cloves (crushed)

Green chilies - 2 (Slit lengthwise)

Dried Red chilies - 5

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Coriander leaves - small bunch (finely chopped)

Cumin seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp

Onions - 4 medium or1 large onion sized finely chopped

Milk - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 tbsps

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

How to...

1. Wash and peel the ridge gourd and hey don't throw away the peeled skin. Scraped of skin combined with pea nuts added with few more ingredients, a delicious chutney is ready. I'm gonna post that recipe soon.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai, and throw garlic. Fry till light brown. Add curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds.

3. Add green chilies, red chillies and fry for a minute. Add cumin seeds and fry for another minute on medium flame. Throw in the onions, add salt and turmeric and fry till onions are soft and light brown.

4. Throw in the chopped onions, drumsticks, add turmeric, drumstick and fry them till light golden brown.


5. Add in ridge gourd pices, mix gently. cover and cook till soft on medium flame. About 6 to 8 minutes.

6. Add warm milk to cooked ridge gourd. Milk tends to curdle up if its cold, warm milk does the trick here. Cook till the milk evaporates and curry truns to thick gravy base.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with steamed rice/chapathis. Tastes perfect with steamed rice.

Note : The Onions that I get from the stores here are very big. I usually take care of giving an accurate measurement for the number of onions used in the posts that I blog but request the viewers to increase or decrease the quantity according to the gravy required.

On the same note I'd like to add that a cup when I write in the blog is generally 1 measuring cup. Pls drop a note to mommyskitchen@gmail.com if you have any questions while trying the recipe. I'd be happy to help you.

Beerakaya-Nuvvulu koora (Ridge gourd-Sesame seeds Curry)

This is a simple quick and easy dish prepared with ridge gourd. I love the mild sweet taste of this veggie when cooked, and has been my all time favourite.

We need ...

Ridge gourd - 1

sesame seeds -1 cup

Dried Red chillies - 4

Green chillies - 3 (slit lenghtwise)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Onions - 2 medium size (cut lengthwise)

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsps

How to....

1. Peel the skin of ridge gourd and cut them to small cubes.

2. Heat a tava, fry sesame seeds and dried red chillies on medium flame without oil till the seeds turn to light golden brown in color. Turn of the flame and allow to cool.

3. Grind the sesame seeds and dried red chillies to coarse powder and set aside. Left over powder after cooking this curry can be stored in an airtight container for further use.

4. Heat oil in in a kadhai, add green chillies fry for few seconds, add curry leaves followed by onions and turmeric. Allow the onions to turn to golden brown.

5. Add ridge gourd cubes, salt to taste and allow to cook on low flame with lid covered till the ridge gourd pieces turn soft. Once soft remove the lid and allow to cook on medium flame for about 3 mts.

6. Add 3 tbsps of ground sesame-redchillie powder mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with rice and papad.