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.