Stuffed Ridge Gourd Curry

Ridge gourd looks rather unappealing and a bit spiky, like cactus, but is one of my favorites in the cucumber family. Not for its inherent flavor or properties, but for its skin/peel. Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney is incredibly delicious, perfect for stirring into a bowl of steaming brown basmati rice with a spot of ghee and enjoying the simple earthy goodness.

This time, while the peel still got made into chutney, the innards/flesh got made into something a bit more exotic than my usual koottu, which is a south Indian lentils-based coconut-cumin sauce.

Simply slit and stuff 2-inch pieces of peeled ridge gourd with spice paste, much like Stuffed Eggplant curry. Then cook in a favorite gravy/sauce.

Serve warm with rotis, naans, parathas, or cooked millet.

Ingredients
About 6 2-inch pieces of peeled and slit ridge gourd, ready for stuffing
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the Spice paste:
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
salt to taste

For the curry sauce:
¼ cup vegetable stock
¼ cup mirepoix - finely chopped celery, onions, garlic
1 or 2 Anaheim peppers, sliced thin
½ medium onion sliced thin
remainder of the spice paste after slitting and stuffing
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Stir the spice paste well and keep handy for stuffing
2. Slit the ridge gourd pieces just enough so they are intact at one end and can be parted at the other to stuff with the spice paste
3. Stuff the ridge gourd pieces and keep handy
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onions and Anaheim peppers, plus the mirepoix and the remaining spice paste from stuffing; saute till aromatic
5. Gently arrange the stuffed ridge gourd pieces in the pan, add the vegetable stock (and water as needed), cover and cook undisturbed on medium low heat; turn the ridge gourd pieces periodically to cook all sides evenly
6. Finish cooking uncovered till the ridge gourd is soft and cooked through and flavorful
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with naan or paratha