Aloo Beerakaya Masala Kura is one of those easy dishes you can make as a side dish for biryanis or pulaos.
The nutty coconut and cashew take care of the combination and yes, of course, you can make it for Rotis as well.
If you wonder if the coconut and cashew will make this very heavy, well we just add a small measure of it, for the gravy to have some body to the gravy. We mostly make it for chapatis, sometimes with spicy biryanis, when you feel you need to serve some gravy on the side.
This time I had paired it with Chana Pulao and made this gravy slightly less spicy. With chapatis, you can increase the spice level by adding some more garam masala as well.
If you are wondering at the odd combination of vegetables, yes these two go well together actually. We make a masala kura just with a single vegetable as well.
In the Carrot Moong Dal, Vaishali had mentioned that they don't mix vegetables with dal. I actually thought about it and realized that we do a lot of such mixing. All our Kootus are vegetables with some dal in it. In fact, come to think of it, sometimes when we do regular everyday cooking, Amma's menu has a mix of many cuisines.
Sometimes there is a fusion of two elements that would've been our personal favorite. I guess all of us evolve over a period and get a style of our own!
This is the third and final day of Everyday Dishes with Rice/Roti for BM#105 Week 1. 
Aloo Beerakaya Masala Kura
Ingredients Needed:
1 cup Ridge Gourd / Beerakaya
2 medium Potatoes
1 medium Onion
1 medium Tomato
A Pinch Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Handful Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
Salt to taste
3 to 4 Cashews
2 tbsp Coconut
2 tsp Cooking Oil
How to make the Masala Kura
Make a paste of coconut and cashew with enough water and keep it aside.
Microwave the potato and peel the skin. Cube into small pieces.
Heat a nonstick pan with oil, temper with mustard and curry leaves.
Add onions and saute well, next add ginger garlic paste and cook for few mins.
Now add finely chopped tomatoes and cubed ridge gourd.
Add salt and turmeric powder.
Cover with lid and simmer till the tomatoes are mushy and beerakaya is cooked.
Add chili powder and coriander powder. combine well.
Add boiled potatoes and coconut cashew paste.
Now add water as required and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 5 to 7 mins and remove.
Serve with biryani or pulao.
You can increase spice levels and garam masala if you want to serve this with rotis.
Recipe
Aloo Beerakaya Masala Kura
Ingredients
- 2 medium Potatoes
- 1 cup Ridge Gourd / Beerakaya
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 medium Tomato
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- Handful Curry Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- A Pinch Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 to 4 Cashews Nuts
- 2 tbsp Coconut
- 2 tsp Cooking Oil
Instructions
- Make a paste of coconut and cashew with enough water and keep it aside.
- Microwave the potato and peel the skin. Cube into small pieces.
- Heat a nonstick pan with oil, temper with mustard and curry leaves.
- Add onions and saute well, next add ginger garlic paste and cook for few mins.
- Now add finely chopped tomatoes and cubed ridge gourd.
- Add salt and turmeric powder.
- Cover with lid and simmer till the tomatoes are mushy and beerakaya is cooked.
- Add chili powder and coriander powder. combine well.
- Add boiled potatoes and coconut cashew paste.
- Now add water as required and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 5 to 7 mins and remove.
- Serve with biryani or pulao.
Notes
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM
vaishalisabnani says
Ridge gourd and potatoes is a new combo for me . The gravy with cashews and coconut , sounds interesting . I am sure there would be more combinations of veggies that we can use . Do tell me more about these combos .
Suma Gandlur says
We cook ridge gourds mostly not combining with any vegetables, not even onions and so when I saw the heading, I was like what. Ridge gourd in a masala curry??.As you mentioned our cooking evolves over time, with new culinary experiences. That potato - ridge gourd combo sounds new to me as well.
Pavani says
Aloo and beerakaya is very new combo for me. I would love to try this curry sometime.
Regarding combining veggies, my mom used to make random mixed veggie sautes like eggplant with spinach etc. all the time. After getting married, my husband had a tough time getting used to all the weird combo of veggies since my MIL only makes '1 veggie' curries. I agree we all evolve over time.
Harini Rupanagudi says
What an unusual combination, Valli? I am sure with the gravy ingredients this would be a great accompaniment to rice or roti.
amaracooking says
Aloo and beerakaya is an interesting combo. I never used to mix anything with beerakaya but after tasting soy keema with beerakaya at Usha's cousin Sailaja's house, I started making that curry. Your curry looks delicious Valli.