Certain vegetables often find themselves in the “least favourite” category in many households. Even though they have numerous health benefits, they are often shunned because of their texture, taste and appearance. Ridge gourd, known as turai in Hindi, is one such vegetable. While this vegetable is packed with nutrients, its spongy texture and slightly bitter taste put people off. But, what if we tell you that there is an easy and delicious way to include this simple vegetable in your diet? If you are convinced, we have an easy recipe for you – turai dosa! In Kannada, this recipe is known as hirakai dosa, and it is a great way to include this vegetable in your diet! Want to know how to make it?
Also read: Make Your Boring Vegetables Delicious: 3 Delicious And Healthy Ridge Gourd (Turai) Recipes To Try
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What are the health benefits of ridge gourd?
If you have scrolled till here, chances are you are interested in making this recipe at home. So, let’s understand how eating ridge gourd can benefit your body. Ridge gourd, also known as turai, is low in calories and high in nutrition, so you can have it on a daily basis. Known for its cooling properties, eating ridge gourd keeps your digestive system healthy, as it is high in dietary fibre. This in turn also helps keep constipation at bay. Apart from this, the vitamin C, zinc, water content and antioxidants present in this vegetable can do wonders for your skin and entire body.
What vegetables can you use instead of ridge gourd for this dosa?
Although this recipe tastes best with ridge gourd, you can easily expand your intake of other “not so favorite” vegetables with this recipe. You can use zucchini, bottle gourd or cucumber slices in place of ridge gourd to get the same texture and mild flavor. Since they can be cut and dipped, they would be perfect to use in this recipe.
How to ensure that Ridge gourd dosa turns out crispy?
If you want your homemade lauki ka dosa to be super crispy, make sure the batter is right. Much of the taste of this dish depends on how you make the batter. It should be smooth and have a pourable consistency, i.e. it should not be too thin or too thick. If it is too thin, it will turn out soggy. If it is too thick, it will not spread well on the pan and result in a thick and chewy dosa. Also, make sure to cook this dosa on medium heat to get the desired crispiness.
Ridge gourd dosa recipe | How to make Ridge gourd dosa at home
It is very easy to make ridge dosa at home. The recipe is shared on Instagram by user @keertidacooks. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Soak the lentils
To make dosa, first prepare the batter. Soak raw rice, urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek seeds for 3-4 hours.
2. Make the solution
Strain the soaked ingredients and add them to a blending jar. Now add the other ingredients – coconut, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, okra chillies, tamarind pulp and jaggery – to the blender. Add half a cup of water and grind the ingredients to make a smooth batter. If you feel the batter is too thick, add some water and blend again.
3. Chopped Ridge Gourd
When you are satisfied with the consistency of the batter, keep it aside. Wash and peel the ridge gourd and then cut it into medium-sized pieces. These should be at least 2 cm thick so that they cook evenly.
4. Cook Ridge Gourd
Take a cast iron pan and grease it. Dip each slice gently in the batter and arrange them to make them almost circular. Add some batter where needed, to fill the gaps. Add some oil and then cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side as well. Serve hot with butter or coconut chutney!
Check out the full recipe below:
Also read: Leftover Ridge Gourd Peels? Make This Healthy And Delicious Recipe With Them
So, try this easy dosa recipe at home to get the maximum benefits of this ridge gourd!
