Herekayi Gojju

My food blogging efforts have come down drastically. This year I have been super lazy looking at the number of posts. It is also true that since I started blogging the world wide web has changed so much. I feel like complaining the way my late grandmother used to , 'everything has changed so much since our times, we did not do/eat/live/sleep etc like this'. Whatever it is, for better or for worse, change is the only constant in our lives. So it is not surprising that our kitchens look drastically different from our grandmother's and also mother's. We do love experimenting in our kitchens, eating out etc.

Then there are days we would want to stick to the classic comfort foods. On one such day, I made some Jolada Rotti  and Herekayi Gojju. I do not deny the pleasure I derive from international cuisine, be it French, be Italian or Asian, but then only desi foods seem to fuel my body and soul. I have even coined a term for it  - "stomach happy food". When we go out to eat, we do not do point scale 1 to 10 any more. We say the food was either 'stomach happy' or not.

It is somewhat akin to a vagabond rooting for a place to call home. Sometimes I wonder if it is aging.  Or that familiarity has faintly allowed contempt to creep in. I do not know. All I know is the excitement I felt when I placed a spoonful of great tasting exotic food on my tongue, is just so longer there. It is all about making sure my stomach is happy and soul is satisfied.

Here is for some soul satisfying Herekayi Gojju

We will need,

Herekayi/Ridge Gourd 2

Grated Coconut 1/2 cup
Byadagi Chillies 4-6 (adjust accordingly to taste)
Cinnamon 1/2"
Cloves 4
Dhania seeds 1 tsp
Tamarind extract 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Jaggery to taste

Oggarane :
Ghee 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Hind a generous dash
Curry leaves 10-12

Method:

• Wash the ridge gourd very well, scrubbing well between the ridges as well. Scrape the ridges if it is too woody. Chop it into 1/2" pieces. 
• Set a pan on medium heat. Toast one by one chillies, cinnmon, cloves, dhania on the hot pan. Be careful enough to not let the spices burn. Turn off the heat and place the coconut on the warm pan stirring around to gently warm the coconut. 
• Place all the toasted ingredients in a blender with a little water and pulse it till very smooth
• In a pressure cooker, place the diced ridge gourd and the spice mixture and stir together. Add more water if the mixture is dry. There should be enough water to form the gravy.
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook till one whistle. Alternately, place the gourd and spice mixture along with some water(more than you would in a pressure cooker to account for evaporation related moisture loss) in a heavy bottomed pot and cook till the gourd is soft.
• Once it is safe enough to open the pressure cooker, prepare the Oggarane. Heat ghee in a pan. Throw in the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pop, throw in the hing and curry leaves. Quickly remove the pan from heat and pour it over the cooked gourd and spice mixture. 
• Adjust salt and Jaggery, heating it gently if required. Serve hot with a bread of choice.