Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney (Peerkangai Tholu Chutney)

Some of you might be a bit confused at reading the title of this post. Yes, I made chutney with the skins of ridge gourds (peerkangai). Yes, I ate it and it was fabulous! I'd heard about this previously from my mother, who used to make this occasionally. I'd bought the ridge gourd for another use when it occurred to me that I could make chutney with the peels. I love when I do something right!


Here's the yummy (yet simple!) recipe:

Ingredients:

Peels of 2 medium ridge gourds (peerkangai) - about 1 cup of peels
Red chillies - 4, or to taste
Urad dal - 1 tsp (to give the chutney some thickness and body)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Urad dal - 1 tsp (optional, for flavor)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies. Fry until the dal browns and the chillies darken in color.

2. Then, add the ridge gourd peels and coconut and fry until the peels soften.

3. Cool this mixture and grind in a blender or mixer with tamarind and salt.

4. Do the seasoning and mix into the ground chutney. Serve with idli, dosa, uthappam, etc. Enjoy!

ridge gourd peel chutney

I guess you could say this is a delicious way of "going green." I mean, you are recycling in a way, right? :)