PEERKANGAI THUVAYAL (CHUTNEY)

This is a dish which is exclusive. This is prepared with Ribbed Gourd which is called Peerkangai in Tamil and Tori in Hindi and Heerekkai in kannada. This is eaten mixed with rice and is a very tasty dish which my children love.
Ingredients.

1. Peerkangai one if big or two if small
2. Grated coconut 2 to 3 table spoons
3. Urad dal 1 to 2 table spoons
4. Channa dal 1 t spoon (optional)
5. Red chillies 2
6. Mustard seeds 1/2 t spoon
7. Asafotida a small quantity
8. Coriander leaves 1/2 bunch or a hand ful (cut ones)
9. Green chillies 1
10. Tamarind if paste a little less than quarter t spoon , other wise a small bit
11. Salt to taste
12. Little oil for frying the dals

Method:

Scrap the outer surface of the 'peerkangai' slightly and cut them into small pieces.

Take a kadai or illuppa chatti . Put a t spoon of cooking oil. Add the mustard seeds and red chillies once it starts spluttering, add the urad dal and channa dal.

When urad dal turns slight brown add asafotida powder , half the salt. remove from the Kadai and put it in the mixer.

Now in the same kadai put the cut peerkangai( don't add any water just add cut and washed peerkangai) and also the green chilli and cover it with a lid. when it is cooked (it will get cooked very quickly) add some salt (the other half) and the coriander leaves and switch off the stove and let it cool. There will be some water left by the cooked vegetable in the kadai which can be used to grind the thuvayal.

Meanwhile grind the fried ingredients (dal and the redchillies) and add the grated coconut and the tamarind paste (or tamarind).

Drain the water from the cooked vegetable and keep it separate. Now add the cooked vegetable and coriander leaves which is in it to the already ground dal and coconut and grind to a paste. Add the drained water if necessary and grind again till you get the right thuvayal consistency. The dish is ready.

If you prepare this dish in the morning, keep it in the fridge for re use later in the evening. When ever you re use it do not heat it in microwave or anyother way as the possiblility of the dish going bad while reheating are very high. So use very hot cooked rice to mix with the thuvayal when you re use.