Peechinga- Unakka Chemmeen / Ridge Gourd- Dried Prawns Curry

            Yummy combination to try with rice..I got the recipe from here…

Ingredients:

1 big ridge gourd/ peechinga
1 cup cleaned dried prawns/ unakka chemmeen
1 small onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4-5 green chillies, slit
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp vinegar
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 1/2-3 tbsp oil
salt


Preparation:

1. Scrape the skin of the ridge gourd and cut it into small pieces.
2. Heat a pan and dry roast the cleaned dried prawns. Then add 1 1/2 tbsp oil, chilli powder , vinegar and little salt and stir fry for 5 minutes and keep it aside.
3. Crush the fried dried prawns into a coarse mixtute, keeping 1 tbsp of fried prawns for garnishing…
4. Grind the grated coconut with turmeric powder and 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
5. In a pan, add chopped ridge gourd, onion, tomatoes, green chillies, crushed dried prawns and salt and cook adding about 1/2 cup of water.
6. Add the ground coconut paste, mix well and cook for few minutes in low flame. Remove from flame.
7. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add the sliced shallots and curry leaves and fry till golden brown. Pour this over the curry and mix well.
8. Garnish with fried whole dried prawns and keep it covered….Serve with rice……..