Ridge Gourd/Toori

A long vegetable with a dark green ridged skin and a white spongy flesh with soft seeds. It is prepared by removing the skin of the vegetable and then cooking. The Ridge gourd is very prominent in Indian cooking. It is called a sponge gourd in Chinese cuisine.

Usage

Ridge gourds stuffed with spices can be made into a curry that is served with rice and rotis. It is a tasty addition to dal or sambar. It is also often cooked alone with or without gravy. The vegetable is also prepared in milk or as a stir fry covered in batter. It can also be added to soups and stir-fried dishes or used as a vegetable. It can also be used as a snack, dipped in chickpea batter, and deeply fried.

It grows naturally in Karnataka’s Malenadu region [Western Ghats]. It is best consumed while it is still tender and green. Widely used across India as a vegetable in curries. It is also used as a snack Bhajji, dipped in chickpea batter and deep fried for that perfect merger. It is just as popular for its medicinal value as it is as a vegetable.

It is high in fiber and is used to make juice which is nutritious and highly recommended for jaundice patients.

Ridge gourd has been used since ancient times for its nutritional value and finds mention in various kinds of Ayurvedic preparations.