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Hot hot hot...

It has been hot hot hot here...
To minimize cooking times I prefer simple recipes with minimal amount of standing in front of the stove and these electric stoves can simply spew a lot of heat.

So yesterday's dinner consisted of (mind you we have not been cooking often enough)

Peerkangai Thogayal/ Chutney


I am embarassed to admit this but I had no idea that luffa comes from a plant and before it becomes the luffa that we like to use to on our skin, it is completely edible! Peerkangai or ridged gourd is one such luffa variety.You can eat luffa when they are young and tender. As you let them mature there texture becomes spongy and coarse making it inedible...but great for your skin.






Ingredients
1 Peerkangai, skin and all- chopped coarsely
~ 2 tsp each of mustard seeds, urad dal and coriander seeds
a pinch hing
1-2 dried red chilli pepper
1 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp frozen grated coconut
Few tsp oil

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let it splatter. Now add the urad dal, coriander seeds, red chilli pepper and hing. Saute for a minute until the dal is slightly browned.
Add the tamarind paste and coconut and saute it for about a minute.
Set aside to cool and once cool grind this mixture- leave it in the food processor/ blender.

In the same pan, heat a tsp of oil. Add the chopped peerkangai and salt to taste. Cook with a lid on for about 5 minutes or so (until it is tender)

Let it cool, and add it to the ground mixture- and blend everything together.

Judgement: It does get oxidized so it will turn from a nice light green to a light brown- NOT TO WORRY, it will still taste awesome.

Stuffed Bhindi/Okra fry- Recipe adapted from Tarla Dalal 
I did not change the recipe

Judgement: Great tasting, spicy, a tad bit greasy...

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