Ridge Gourd / Peechinga Sambar

Ingredients:

1 ridge gourd / peechinga

1/2 cup toor dal

1 onion, sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

small lemon sized tamarind

2 tbsp sambar powder

1/2 tsp jaggery

salt to taste

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

2 dry red chillies

1 sprig curry leaves

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak toor dal in water for 15 minutes.
2. Peel and cut the ridge gourd into round slices.
3. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water and extract its juice. Mix the sambar powder in this tamarind juice and keep it aside.
4. In a pressure cooker, add ridge gourd pieces, toor dal, onion, tomato, turmeric powder, salt and enough water and cook for 2 whistles.
5. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and add the tamarind-sambar powder mix and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Stir in asafoetida and jaggery and simmer together for a few minutes. Adjust the salt and switch off the flame.
7. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add garlic, dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry.
8. Pour this tempering over the sambar and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice, idli, dosa etc...