The Ridge Gourd Shrimp Curry / Peechinga chemmen curry

The Ridge Gourd Prawn Curry ( Peechinga chemeen curry) - A simple traditional recipe from god's own country.

Ridge gourd is a very common vegetable in most Indian household. It can be cooked in many different ways, it is one of them.  Here, the ridge gourd-lentil- prawn mixture is blended in coconut paste. Try this, you will definitely like it.

This curry goes well with steamed rice.  You can have this with chapati also.

Ridge gourd shrimp curry /Peechinga chemeen curry recipe Author: Anju Aneesh Recipe type: Side dish Cuisine: India, South India, Kerala Preparation time: 15 minutes / Cooking time: 20 minutes / Total time: 35 minutes Ingredients 100 gram prawns / shrimps, peeled, deveined and washed thoroughly 1 small ridge gourd or peechinga, chopped after scrapping off its hard edges with a peeler. 1/4 cup lentil (parippu) 1/4 to 3/4 cup grated coconut 3 green chilies 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional) 4 to 5 shallots, peeled 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or jeera For seasoning 2 tablespoon oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 2 dried red chilies 1 spring curry leaves Direction of preparation of ridge gourd prawn curry or peechinga chemmeen curry Pressure cook chopped ridge gourd and lentil with one cup of water. Cook prawns in an another pan with salt. Once cooked, switch off the stove and keep aside. Meanwhile make a fine paste of grated coconut with green chilies, shallots, cumin seeds and 1/2 cup of water and reserve. Take a earthenware and pour the cooked lentil ridge gourd mixture and prawns. Cook again for some more time till the water reduces to half. Add the coconut paste, mix well and cook covered for one or two minutes till the raw smell of coconut leaves. Heat oil in another pan, crackle mustard seeds, saute curry leaves and halved dry red chilies for a minutes. Pour everything on top of the curry. Keep it covered for half an hour. Serve with steamed rice.

Let us go to the step by step preparation of ridge gourd shrimp curry

1. Pressure cook chopped ridge gourd and lentil with one cup of water. After the first whistle on high flame, turn to medium low flame. Switch off the stove immediately after the second whistle.
   
2. Cook prawns in an another pan with 2 tablespoons of water and enough salt. once cooked, switch off the stove and keep aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, make a fine paste of grated coconut with green chilies, shallots, cumin seeds and 1/2 cup of water and reserve.
   
4. Mix cooked ridge gourd lentil mixture with the cooked prawns. Cook again for some more time till the water reduces to half.  Add enough salt. (salt is not added in the ridge gourd lentil mixture).
   
5. Add the coconut paste, mix well and cook covered for one or two minutes till the raw smell of coconut goes.
   
6. To prepare seasoning, heat 2 tablespoon oil in another pan, splutter mustard seeds, saute curry leaves and red chilies for one or two minutes. Immediately pour on the top of the curry.
   

7. Keep it covered for half an hour before serving. Then serve with steaming rice.

My notes on peechinga chemmeen curry

1.  How to chop ridge gourd - Trim both ends and remove its ridges with a sharp knife. Then chop them finely into small pieces.
2. I used 1/4 cup grated coconut for gravy. If you want thick gravy, you can increase its amount from 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

Happy cooking

Anju