Beerakaya pachadi recipe | Ridge gourd chutney

Beerakaya pachadi recipe or ridge gourd chutney for idli, dosa,rice,chapathi. For those who are not familiar with this vegetable, beerakaya is called as Ridgegourd in english, heerekai in kannada, Peerkangai in tamil and Turai in hindi. This pachadi is also called as peerkangai chutney in tamil, heerekai chutney in kannada is one of the most commonly prepared side dish from South Indian cuisine. Each region has a different version of this chutney. This ridge gourd chutney is a healthy addition to the menu. I am sharing 2 methods of making.

Method 1 – South indian style ridge gourd chutney recipe

1. Dry roast chana dal and urad dal until golden. Fry red chilies as well and then add cumin to the hot pan. You can also use 1 tsp oil to fry chilies. Set aside to cool.

2. To the same pan, add little oil and fry gourd until they are cooked little for 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Fry tomatoes until mushy and add garlic to the hot pan. Switch off.

4. Powder the dal and red chili first in a jar.

5. Slightly coarse is also ok.

6. Add gourd, tomatoes and garlic. Blend to a coarse or smooth paste to suit your liking.

7. Make the tempering in hot oil by adding red chili, cumin,garlic, mustard and dals. When they turn golden, add curry leaves, hing. Pour this to the chutney.

Method 2 – Andhra style beerakaya pachadi using sesame seeds and green chilies.

This recipe yields chutney that has a mild nutty taste that comes from the sesame seeds, one of the best healthy seeds that we need to consume regularly. They don’t give a bitter taste. If you do not like to use sesame seeds, you can replace it with fried channa dal and urad dal like i did in the first method. The taste would be different though.

Beerakaya chutney tastes hot and tangy that comes from the tomatoes and they can be replaced by adding tamarind or tamarind paste.

It can be served with rice or chapathi. We don’t mind serving this chutney with dosas too

For more beerakaya recipes, check
Beerakaya curry
Beerakaya fry
Beerakaya pappu

Step by step pictures on how to make andhra beerakaya pachadi

1. Heat a pan, dry roast sesame seeds on a medium flame till you get a nice aroma. do not burn. once they cool down make a fine powder of the seeds and set aside.

2. Add oil to the same pan, fry green chili for 2 to 3 mins or till they wilt off. set aside to cool

3. To the same pan, add ridge gourd and fry till they are soft cooked. Set aside to cool

4. Add a little more of oil to the same pan, add tomatoes,sprinkle salt and turmeric, fry till the tomatoes turn mushy.

5. Add tomato, ridgegourd, salt, cumin and green chilies to the ground sesame seeds powder and grind to smooth or coarse to suit your taste.

6. Temper with tempering ingredients.

I have not used tamarind as the sourness from tomatoes is enough. but if you need you can add little tamarind paste while grinding or you can even replace tomato with a tablespoon of Tamarind paste

Andhra beerakaya pachadi | ridge gourd chutney recipe below

Beerakaya pachadi recipe | Ridge gourd chutney recipe

Beerakaya pachadi is ridge gourd chutney, one of the most basic and popular chutneys that is prepared in most andhra homes.It can be served with steamed plain rice or chapathi.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings4 to 5

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

• 2 cups ridge gourd chopped , scrape off the veins and do not remove the skin
• 3 to 4 green chilies slit (adjust) or red chilies
• ¼ to ½ cup tomato chopped, ripe and red
• 2 ½ tbsp white sesame seeds or 1 tbsp each of chana dal, urad dal
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tbsp oil for frying

thalimpu or temper

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 pinch mustard seeds
• 1 pinch cumin
• 1 pinch hing
• ¼ tsp channa dal
• 1 pinch sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 garlic clove crushed (optional)
• ¼ tsp urad dal

How to make the recipe

• Dry roast sesame seeds on a medium flame till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool. If using dal, fry them until golden and cool.
• Heat a wide pan with oil, fry green chilli for 2 to 3 mins. set aside
• In the same pan, add ridge gourd and fry till they are almost cooked. you can fry on high for the first 3 mins and reduce the flame. set aside to cool
• Add a teaspoon of oil to the same pan and add tomatoes, salt and turmeric, fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and then dry. do not cover and cook, the taste differs.
• Powder the roasted sesame seeds to fine.
• Add tomato, gourd, salt , cumin and green chilies and grind to smooth.
• Add oil to the pan for tempering and heat.
• Add all the ingredients except curry leaves and hing. fry till golden.
• Add curry leaves and fry till crisp. add hing. mix.
• Add ridge gourd chutney to the tempered pan and mix the seasoning.

NUTRITION

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Notes

You can use tamarind if the sourness from tomatoes is not enough. You can add little tamarind paste while grinding or you can even replace tomato with a tablespoon of Tamarind paste

If you are looking for more andhra pachadi or chutney recipes, check out my dondakaya pachadi, vankaya tomato pachadi, green tomato chutney, mullangi pachadi