Sponge Gourd/ Turai/ Ghosavli - Sweet and Sour Curry Receipe

Sponge Gourd or the hindi name for it Turai / marathi being Ghosa(v)li is not the number 1 favourite vegetable on anybody's list of favourite foods. Personally speaking it is a love hate relation with this veggie - if it's made horribly it cannot be ingested but if the curry is yummy, it's falling in love again.

It is always my attempt to make something fresh and delicious out of this gourd. There is ofcourse, the tempting fried version called "bhajiya's" (aka tempura style) - dipped in gram flour and spices and then deep fried until golden. But this curry is a healthier take on this humble vegetable - sure to make you want to eat some more...

Ingredients for sweet and sour sponge gourd (turai/ ghosali) curry:

1/4 kg. Sponge Gourd /Turai / Ghosali

50 gms. Cottage Cheese / Paneer (optional)

(substitute for paneer is a handful of roasted and coarsely ground peanuts - i like paneer any time)

1 medium onion

2 small pieces of kokum (or 1 medium tomato)

1/2 tsp. ginger garlic paste

1 heaped tsp. corriander powder

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1/4 tsp. red chilli powder (or more as per taste)

Salt to taste

1 tsp. sugar / jaggery

For seasoning:

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds

1 sprig of curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Wash and peel the gourd. Slice each gourd into half and then make cubes - try and keep these cubed pieces slightly larger since the vegetable shrinks during cooking. Chopped vegetable should be immediately put in water until use - else it tends to turn brown in colour.

Next, chop the onions and tomatoes (if using) else soak the kokum in half a cup of water. In a hot pan, add some oil. Put in the mustard seeds and once they start spluttering, add the cumin seeds and then the curry leaves. Add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and fry well. You might want to add a pinch of salt / sugar to soften the onions quickly. Next add the corriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powders. Fry a bit and add in the gourd drained from water. Next add the kokum along with its water / tomatoes (if using instead of kokum). Add 1/2 cup of water and when the curry comes to a boil, reduce the flame to slow and cover and cook curry for about 8 to 10 mins. You might want to check on it once in between. Once the gourd is cooked but not too mushy and soft - add the cubes of paneer (or coarse peanut powder), salt and sugar. Mix well, give it a tasting, adjust for seasoning - if the kokum is too less you might want to add one small extra piece or if the curry is tasting too sour already you might want to retrieve a piece out of it.

If need be, decorate with some chopped corriander, i did not. Serve with hot phulka's / chappati's / indian flat bread.

Enjoy this sweet and savoury curry and let me know how you liked it in the comments section below. Do keep visiting receipesnmore.blogspot.in for receips and more.........