Dinner · Raat jo Khado
Toorian jo Saag – Mitho
Mild ridge gourd (or zucchini) with green gram
A delicate, mildly flavoured (mitho) vegetable of small pieces of ridge gourd cooked with soaked moong dal in ghee and a pinch of hing, lightly mashed so it stays soft, moist and textured rather than a puree. It is eaten hot at dinner and is easy to digest.
Ingredients
Make
Measure in
Cups are shown in grams or ml; spoons stay as spoons. Panja Khada’s own weights are used where they give them (1 cup of flour is 150 g, rice or dal 200 g, curd 225 g, milk or water 240 ml), and standard kitchen weights otherwise.
Main ingredients
For tempering
Spices & seasoning
Method
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Soak the moong dal in water for a couple of hours before cooking.
Wash the ridge gourd and cut it into small pieces.
Heat the ghee in a pan on a medium flame, add the asafoetida and let it temper (sizzle in the hot ghee).
When the asafoetida starts to change colour, add the soaked dal and roast it for a few minutes, stirring gently.
Add the ridge gourd and about ½ cup of water — no more, since ridge gourd releases its own water as it cooks. Cover and cook until both the dal and the gourd are tender.
Mash lightly with the back of a round spoon; keep some texture and do not make a smooth puree. Add salt and mix well.
Serve piping hot.
My notes
Your family’s way with this recipe, or a reminder for next time. Kept on this phone or computer, and shown in cook mode.
Tips and variations
Tips: add only minimal water at the start, because ridge gourd cooks quickly and gives off a lot of liquid; the finished dish should be soft and moist with a lightly mashed consistency; ghee brings out the subtle sweetness and delicate flavour.
Serve with
Traditionally served hot with phulko (soft flatbread) at dinner; also goes with simple rice or khichdi for a light, comforting meal.
Recipes mentioned here
Nutrition
EstimatedPer serving
120 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrate
- 7 g
- Fat
- 9 g
The recipe serves 3–4.
Whole recipe
410 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrate
- 26 g
- Fat
- 31 g
Everything in the ingredients list.
These are estimates, worked out from the amounts in the recipe and typical values for each ingredient. Portion sizes and the exact amount of oil, ghee or sugar can change them a lot. How we estimate
About this dishCultural note
Cultural note
Sweet-style vegetable preparations ("Mitho Saag") hold a special place in Thathai Bhatia cooking, which highlights the vegetable's natural sweetness instead of masking it with heavy spices.
Where this recipe comes from
Recipe from Panja Khada by Bharat and Deepa Chachara.
See the original recipe and photos