Ridge Gourd Chutney

Ingredients
Chutney:
• 1 large rigde gourd or 2 medium sized
• 4 Tbsp oil
• 3 large dried red chilies
• 1 Tsp urad dal
• 1 Tbsp chana dal
• 9-10 fresh curry leaves
• ½ Tsp yellow asafetida powder
• ½ Tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1-inch tamarind bit ( I prefer not to use the store bought tamarind paste)
• 1 Tsp salt (use more if your chat masala doesn’t have any salt in it)
• ¼- ½ C water
Tempering:
•1 Tsp oil, 1 dried red chilly,

•1 Tsp black mustard seeds

Preparation
1. Peel the little sharp pointed edges on the ridge gourd and cut it in big chunks.
2. Heat oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add chilies, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, asafetida and fry until golden. Add the tamarind piece and fenugreek seeds and fry for a moment. Add the ridge gourd chunks and stirring now and then cook the vegetable until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Blend the cooked seasoned vegetable in a blender/food processor adding little water as needed and grind it to a thick coarse paste. Transfer the contents to a bowl and add salt to it.
4. Heat oil in a small sauté pan over moderate heat. Add red chilies, and mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle add the tempering to the chutney prepared. This chutney can be stored upto 5 days in the refrigerator.

** In South India they often eat this chutney with rice and papad. But it can be served with chapatis too.
Yield
1 Cup