Nuvvula Podi Ridge Gourd Stir Fry
Beerakaya vepudu is one of those dishes that tastes far better than it has any right to — ridge gourd's mild, almost sweet flesh soaks up everything around it. Here, Nutty Nuvvula Podi goes straight into the kadai in the final minute, coating every piece with a roasted, sesame-lentil depth that becomes the whole flavour of the dish. Simple, quick, and the kind of lunch that makes plain rice feel complete.
Prep: 10 min | Cook: 15 min | Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Nutty Nuvvula Podi
- 2 medium ridge gourd (beerakaya), peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (aavalu)
- 6-8 curry leaves (karivepaku)
- 1 dried red chilli (endu mirchi), broken
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (pasupu)
- Salt to taste
Method
- Peel the ridge gourd, slice off any tough ridges, and chop into small cubes or half-moons — about 1.5cm pieces. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium-high flame. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the dried red chilli and curry leaves — they will crackle and go fragrant within seconds.
- Add the chopped beerakaya to the kadai along with turmeric and salt. Toss well to coat, then spread out and cook on medium-high heat without stirring too often — you want the edges to pick up a little colour.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ridge gourd is tender and any excess moisture has cooked off. The pieces should look slightly golden at the edges, not wet or steamed.
- Reduce the flame to low. Sprinkle the Nutty Nuvvula Podi evenly over the vepudu and toss everything together so the sesame coats each piece. Cook for one more minute — you will smell the roasted sesame come alive in the pan.
- Remove from heat and serve hot alongside rice and dal, or simply with curd and a papad.
✓ High Protein | ✓ High Fibre | ✓ Rich in Iron | ✓ Source of Calcium | ✓ Source of Potassium