Heerekai Mosaru bajji

Ingredients

Heerekai (Ridge gourd)       2

Curds                                   2 cups

Salt                                      to taste

For grinding

Coconut scrapings              4 table spoons

Cumin seeds                       ½tsp

Green chillies                      3

For seasoning

Oil                                     2 or 3 teaspoons

Cumin seeds                      ½tsp

Mustard                             ½tsp

Asafoetida                        2 pinches

Curry leaves                     2 sprigs

Red chillies                      2 - cut into pieces

For garnishing

Coriander sprigs             3

Method

Wash Heerekai well and lightly scrape the outer hard peel. Sometimes, especially during summer, ridge gourd tastes bitter. Check it by pinching  small bits here and there and  tasting . If it tastes bitter cut that portion and discard.

Wash coriander sprigs and chop.

Cook Heerekai in a pressure cooker with 2 or 3 table spoons of water. Much water is not needed as the vegetable gives out plenty of water while cooking. Allow it to cool.

Grind coconut scrapings, cumin seeds and green chillies in to a smooth paste by adding 2 or 3 table spoons of curds if needed. Finally add cooked Heerekai and grind it to smooth paste. Transfer it to a dish.

Churn curds so that there no lumps and add to the Heerekai paste. Add salt and mix well.

Heat oil in a small skillet.  Add Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chilli pieces and allow them to splutter. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Cook for 10 seconds. Add it to Heerekai and curds mixture. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Heerekai Mosaru bajji is ready.

Same procedure is followed to prepare Mosaru bajji with  Gundu badane kai ( Brinjal ).Palak , Basale soppu, Sweet potato and potato.

Other vegetables that can be used are   Seeme badane kai(Chow-Chow),Cucumber and Boodugumbalakai(Ashgourd) Only difference is these vegetables are not mashed .