Ridge Gourd Kootu, Chicken Masala with fresh Turmeric rice

Ridge Gourd Kootu goes to Sig of "Live to Eat" blog , who is guest hosting JFI event this month. Sig has chosen a tangy fruit "Tamarind" as her choice for JFI, widely used in dishes everyday in most south Indian dishes. JFI event is created by Indira of Mahanandi. Thanks for choosing Tamarind Sig!:)

Tamarind:
Tamarind is native to tropical Africa and grows wild throughout the Sudan. It was introduced into India long ago. It is extensively cultivated in tropical areas of the world. Sometime during the sixteenth century, it was introduced into America and today is widely grown in Mexico.
Every part of Tamarind tree is usable ie fruits, flowers, bark, it's leaves in various forms in cooking and for medicinal purposes. Tamarind mixed with other things like honey is used as digestive, for sour throat, bile and as laxatives. For more info about Tamarind , click here.

Ridge Gourd Kootu:
Kootu is any dish made with gravy along with spices, a dish commonly made in South India.
Here is my Kootu with Ridge gourd, which are like gold to me since I don't get these veggie often unless I drive to to Indian store miles away! I have already made Puliyogarai with Tamarind before. Kootu is the next best thing I can think of for Tamarind event!:))

To make the ridge Gourd bhaji:

You need:
2 medium Ridge Gourds,
1 Tomato,chopped,(optional)
1-2 tbsp Tamarind juice,
Cilantro.
salt.
To season:
1 tbsp oil+ghee,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
few curry leaves,
1 tbsp Chana dal,
1 medium onion, chopped,
1/2 tsp turmeric,
1 dry red chilli,
pinch of hing.

To roast lightly and powder:
3 tbsp dry coconut,
1 tbsp Coriander seeds,
1 tsp Cumin seeds,
1/2" cinnamon(Dalchini),
2-3 Kashmiri red chillies or paprika for color,
1 tsp or 10 pepper corns.
Roast all the above and powder in a grinder.
Or use 1-2 tbsp of your favorite home made masala powder.

How to:
1. Peel the outer ridges of the gourd slightly, wash and chop the gourd to small pieces. Remove the seeds if they are not tender, otherwise you can leave them as they are.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add all the seasoning ingredients one by one and fry until onion is reddish.
3. Add in the gourd pieces, stir fry for 2 minutes and add 1-2 cups of water, tomato, tamarind and cook until gourd is soft and cooked.
4. Add in the masala powder, mix well and simmer. Add Cilantro and turn off the heat.
5. Serve with Chapatis. Tastes better the next day!

Delicious for lunch or dinner:

Wasn't that yummy? :)
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Finally, here is an event with "Chicken" as a choice!! YAY!! Vandana Rajesh of "cooking up something nice" blog has started one this month. She asks us to cook any chicken dish we like. Here is mine which often make on some Sundays for lunch, "Chicken masala with Turmeric rice". Thanks for hosting Vandana, enjoy your first event!:)

Chicken Masala with fresh Turmeric rice:
This is my favorite and the easiest chicken gravy I make at home when I don't have time for all the fancy masalas. What do I do to make the thali fanciful? I cook rice with some salt and fresh turmeric pieces to make it colorful!:D

Here is how I make it:

You need:
2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts and 2 Chicken thighs cut into bite sized cubes, salt, 1/8 tsp turmeric, Cilantro, 1 tbsp Tamarind juice.
For the gravy: 2 onions, sliced thin, 1" Ginger grated, 1/2 cup Tomato sauce, 1 tsp chilli pd, 1 tbsp Coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp garam masala.
Season: 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp ghee, 1 tsp Cumin seeds, few curry leaves.
1 1/2 cup water or chicken sock.

To make it:
1. Heat oil+ghee is a pan, add all the seasoning ingredients, fry for a minute.
2. Add Onions, fry until they are slightly golden on the edges, add ginger. Stir for a minute and pour in the tomato sauce. Fry until oil shows on th sides.
3. Add in the chicken, stir until they are white on the outside. Add all the dry masala ingredients except Garam masala now, mix well.
4 Pour in tamarind, salt, 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock. (Cut down the salt as it already has salt in the stock). Cover and cook on medium heat for 10mins.
5. Uncover and cook until you see the oil glisten on top. Add garam masala and cilantro, mix well and take off the heat. Serve with turmeric rice and a salad or potato crisps.
Chicken Masala tastes better if you leave the gravy overnight in the fridge.

Fresh Turmeric rice:
1. Add 2 cups of extra long grain rice, 3 1/2 cups water, few pieces of crushed fresh Turmeric or 1/4 good quality Turmeric pd, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ghee or butter. Give it a stir.
2. Cook in the Microwave for 13 mins on high, uncovered. After 13 mins, cover with a plate and cook for 6mons at 50%.
3. Take it out and fluff the rice with flat spatula, take out all the cooked turmeric pieces out, cover again until you need it. You can sprinkle some water on the rice and reheat in the MW for 2-3 mins on high to serve.

Note: I have given you how I make rice at home. Every MW and rice is different, so use your judgment for how much water to add and how long to cook.
Enjoy!:)

(There will be posts coming out of my ears this month here at Aroma, watch out for those! Once I am done posting for most events, I will be off for a month from July, will try and catch up with events until then! :D)