Heerekayi Tambli (Luffa in yogurt sauce)

By now, it would be clear for all of you that, I use curd/yogurt to prepare lots and lots of dishes. We love eating yogurt in any form. Also, as I previously mentioned in one of the posts that, thin yogurt is said to have a cooling effect on the body & is very beneficial in tropical countries like Singapore. The situation for me is like.., ರೋಗಿ ಬಯಸಿದ್ದು ಹಾಲು ಅನ್ನ, ವೈದ್ಯ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಹಾಲು ಅನ್ನ (Kannada proverb). The meaning of this is.., you ask for it & you get it (Please forgive my bad translation skills)

I enjoy preparing & eating atleast one variety of tambli (Yogurt sauce) every week. Tambli is such an easy preparation & it can well be prepared within 15-20mins. Not only easy to cook, but also packed with nutrition & tastes heaven.

You can find more information about ಹೀರೇಕಾಯಿ/ridged gourd here or in wikipedia

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped ridged gourd(use tender ones for preparing)
1-2 green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds/jeerige
3tbsp cup grated coconut (fresh/frozen)
1.5 cups thin butter-milk/yogurt
salt according to taste

For tempering:
1 tsp ghee/clarified butter
a generous pinch of asafoetida
4-6 curry leaves
1 broken red chilli (optional)

Method:

• Grind together the ridged gourd, cumin seeds, green chillies, grated coconut using the buttermilk to a smooth paste.
• Mix this paste, salt with the remaining butter-milk.
• Prepare the tempering in a separate pan. Add ghee to a pan, when ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, when mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, broken red chilli & finally add asafoetida.
• Pour this tempering on the yogurt sauce prepared.
• Mix well & serve it with rice.

Note :

1. Ridged gourd can be used with the skin, there is no need to peel & discard the skin.
2. If ridged gourd is not very tender, then cook it until soft by adding little water & then use the cooked ridged gourd to prepare the above recipe