Peerkangai thogayal (ridge gourd thogayal)

Our cuisine consist of many kinds of thogayal (a semi solid side dish made with roasted veggies, lentils, spices and coconut) 

For me these thogayals are a great source of interesting ways to enjoy main course, let it be adai (lentils crepe, moong dal pesarattu) 

The temptation to eat it with soft red rice is very much curtailed with a more tasty food, I love thogayal with ragi mudde or jackfruit, ragi, besan rotis which are very satisfying, fiber rich and filling. 

My favorite thogayal is parippu thogayal (moong dal, coconut and spices) kothamalli, kari veppalai thogayal (dhaniya, curry leaves, coconut and spices) 

I am sure you will find these recipes quite interesting and a great life saver on the days you have less time to prepare a quick lunch. 

It's goes well with rasam,  rice and dry roasted pappad, it's a bliss to have it on a rainy day listening to the drip drop raindrops falling from the roof! Nostalgic 

Ridge gourd thogayal (peerkangai thogayal)

Ingredients 

1 large soft ridge gourd (peerkangai)

2 tablespoon gingelly oil 

2 dry red chillies

10 peppercorns 

2 tablespoon grated coconut (optional)

1 green chilli 

2 pinch heeng powder 

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger

1/4 cup of black broken urad dal

1/4 cup of tuvar dal

A small gooseberry size tamarind 

Salt as required 

Method 

1. Wash, peel and cut the ridge gourd into large cubes.  In a kadai pour one tablespoon oil and saute the ridge gourd add a little salt and cook for 2 minutes. Off the stove keep aside. 

2  In the same kadai pour a tablespoon oil, add dals, red chillies,  peppercorns, tamarind pieces, til and dry roast in medium flame, roast it till the dals release aroma and are crunchy. The til will crackle when it's roasted. Now add rest of the ingredients like coconut, green chilies, ginger and curry leaves, mix in and off the stove. Let it cool. 

3. In the mixer jar first make a coarse powder of roasted dry ingredients, once it's done add the ridge gourd pieces. Grind it to a coarse thogayal consistency. Add a tablespoon of water if needed. I grind it in pulse mode so that I can make it without any water. The ridge gourd has sufficient water to make the thogayal into a semi solid dish. 

4. Serve as a side dish with rice, adai, pesarattu, ragi, jowar roti and idly. It tastes delicious and I am sure you will love it.