Janhi Tarkari without onion-garlic

Cooking time required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Ridgegourd/Janhi (250 gm), tomato (150 gm), curry leaves( 2 sprigs), whole red chilli (1-2 nos), turmeric powder (1/5 tsp), mustard seeds (1 pinch), red chilli powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander stems ( 3/4 tsp), oil ( 3 tsp), coriander powder ( 1/3 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp), garam masala ( 1/4 tsp, optional ), salt to taste.

Preparation: Peel and cut the rigdegourd into cubes. Chop the tomato into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the ridgegourd cubes along with a little salt and turmeric, and fry for 1-2 mins. Remove and keep aside.

Now add the chopped tomato to the wok. Stir fry for 3 mins till it softens.

Then add the fried ridgegourd along with chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, remaining salt and turmeric. Add a little water and cook for 4-5 mins.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the whole red chillis, mustard seeds and coriander stem. Fry for 30 secs and pour over the contents of the wok. Sprinkle garam masala. Cover immediately and remove from stove after 30 secs.

Note: Add a little bit of jaggery if you like a sweet-sour flavour.

Janhi Choppa Patua

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 Rupees


Ingredients: Ridgegourd/ Janhi peels( 1 cup ), potato ( 1 no., medium ), mustard oil ( 2 tsp ), salt ( 1/5 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), garlic pods ( 6 nos ), mustard seeds ( 2/3 tsp ).

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds. Add the ridgegourd peels along with the green
chilli, half of the garlic pods and a pinch of salt. Grind into a fine paste.

Cut the potato into thin strips.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the potato and fry lightly for 2 mins.

Add the ridgegourd peel paste along with turmeric, salt to taste, remaining mustard oil and crushed garlic flakes. Mix well and add 1/3 cup water.

Cook with lid covered. Remove from fire once the potatoes and cooked and the raw smell of the ridgegourd peels goes off. ( Takes abt 7-8 mins )

Serve with white rice.

Alternately the raw potato pieces can be mixed with the peels paste along with salt, turmeric, oil and crushed garlic; wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked in a microwave/oven. Avoid adding any extra water.

Janhi Posta ( Ridge gourd cooked with poppy paste )

Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Ridge gourd ( cut into large chunks, 1 1/2 cups ), potato ( cut into thin slices, 1/3 cup ), onion ( 1 small ), red chillis ( 2 nos ), garlic cloves ( 1-2 nos ), poppy seeds ( 1 tsp ), coriander seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), fennel seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), oil ( 2-3 tsp), cumin seeds ( a pinch ), salt.

Preparation: Grind the poppy seeds without water to crush them. Add the garlic cloves along with a little water and grind for 5 secs to get into a coarse paste.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 1 tsp oil followed by the ridge gourd & potato pieces. Sprinkle some turmeric and stir for 4-5 mins. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds along with the broken red chillis. Stir for 30-40 secs.

Add the chopped onion and cook till it turns translucent. Add the poppy seeds paste.
Cook for 2-3 mins. Add the fried ridge gourd and potato pieces along with 1/2 cup water and salt.

Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till all the water evaporates. Remove from pan and serve with white rice .

Note: The sweet taste of ridge gourd and potatoes is enhanced by the use of fennel, coriander & poppy seeds. Tastes heavenly when served with a spicy curry as it offsets the spiciness.

Khira santula

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Raw papaya pieces ( 2 cups), pumpkin pieces ( 1 cup ), lau/lauki pieces( 2 cups ), janhi ( ridge gourd, 1 cup ), potato pieces( 1 cup ), red chillis ( 2-3 nos), onion ( 1 small), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric, salt, khira/milk ( 1/2 cup ), jeera-lanka (cumin-chilli ) powder ( 1/5 tsp ), oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the onion in small pieces .

Cooking: Heat a wok .Add 1 cup of water along with the vegetables, turmeric and salt. Close the lid and cook till all the vegetables soften.

Add the milk and cook for 2 mins.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the pancha phutana and red chillis. When the seeds start spluttering, add the onion pieces. Fry till the onion turns translucent.

Pour over the boiled vegetables. Sprinkle cumin chilli powder. Mix well.
Remove from fire after 30 secs.

Delicious and healthy santula is ready to eat. Serve with rotis.


Note: One can also add vegetables like sweet potato/ brinjal/ parwal/raw banana according to ones taste. Using ghee instead of oil adds a lovely aroma to the santula. On osa bara or vrat days this recipe is made without adding the onions.

The milk maybe skipped if one is lactose intolerant.