Beerakaya (Ridge Gourd Stir Fry)
A gentle South Indian stir fry of soft ridge gourd tossed with a fragrant roasted sesame and coconut powder. Lovely with soft rice or roti.
Ingredients
Contains optional added salt for older eaters. Skip it for babies under 12 months.
- 250 g ridge gourd, scrubbed and chopped small8.82 oz ridge gourd, scrubbed and chopped small
- 15 ml oil1.01 tbsp oil
- 1.25 ml mustard seed0.25 tsp mustard seed
- 2.5 ml cumin seed0.51 tsp cumin seed
- 7.5 ml chana dal1.52 tsp chana dal
- 7.5 ml urad dal1.52 tsp urad dal
- 10 each curry leaf
- 1 each garlic, finely chopped
- 1.25 ml asafoetida0.25 tsp asafoetida
- 1.25 ml turmeric0.25 tsp turmeric
- 11.25 ml sesame seed2.28 tsp sesame seed
- 11.25 ml dried coconut2.28 tsp dried coconut
- 10 g peanut, roasted, ground fine for young eaters0.35 oz peanut, roasted, ground fine for young eaters
- 15 ml coconut, fresh, grated1.01 tbsp coconut, fresh, grated
- salt (to taste), for over-1s and adults only
Steps
Make the Spice Powder
- Dry roast the sesame seeds and dried coconut in a pan over low heat until the sesame smells nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes, then let cool.
- Grind the cooled sesame, dried coconut, and peanuts to a coarse powder and set aside for finishing.
Cook the Ridge Gourd
- Wash and scrub the ridge gourd well, trim off the rough ridges, then chop into small bite-size pieces.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds, and let them splutter for a few seconds.
- Add the chana dal and urad dal and fry until they turn golden.
- Add the curry leaves and garlic, fry until the curry leaves crisp up, then sprinkle in the hing.
- Add the ridge gourd and turmeric, then stir to coat everything evenly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Lower the heat, cover, and cook until the ridge gourd is soft, about 6 to 8 minutes, adding a splash of water if it looks dry.
Finish and Serve
- Stir the roasted spice powder and fresh coconut through the ridge gourd and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Serve warm with soft rice or roti. For older kids and adults, add a pinch of salt and a little chili to taste at the end.
Nutrition
- Calories
- 69
- Protein
- 2g
- Fat
- 3g
- Carbs
- 9g
Tips by age
Finely chop or mash the cooked ridge gourd and make sure the peanut spice powder is ground smooth. Keep it mild with no salt or chili. Mix into soft rice for an easy texture.
Choking safety: Peanuts must be finely ground, never whole or in large pieces, to avoid choking.
Chop the ridge gourd into small soft pieces and serve stirred through rice. Keep the dish mild with no added chili.
Choking safety: Ensure the peanuts in the powder are finely ground with no whole pieces.
Serve in small bite-size pieces alongside soft rice, offering water to sip. Keep seasoning gentle.
Choking safety: Peanuts should be finely ground; no whole peanuts.
Serve as written in bite-size pieces with rice or roti. Check that the spice powder holds no whole peanuts.
Choking safety: Make sure no whole peanuts remain in the spice powder.
Serve as written with rice or roti. Older kids who like heat can have a little chili added to taste at the end.
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