Ridged or Smooth Indian Gourd Curry Do Pyaza
Turai Do Pyaza - Sabji with Onions
Mamta Gupta
Turai or tori is similar to a courgette, but not the same. It has a sweeter and silkier flesh when cooked.
There are two common varieties in India, one has a smooth skin and the other is ridged. This is the vegetable from which Loofah or Lufah is made, when it is allowed to mature to seed stage.
Whereas courgettes can be cooked with their skin on, Indian Tories have to be peeled, unless vey small and tender.
It is another vegetable, like Lauki/Dudhi and Parwal, that is considered good for convalescent patients in India, because it is easy to digest and full of nutrients.
Here is a simple and quick way of cooking this lovely vegetable. The word 'Do', as in 'doe', means ?two? or ?double? and the word 'Pyaza' means with onions. So, this dish has a twice the normal amount of onions. I tend to use roughly same amount as the Turai, by volume. It is quite tasty even when cooked completely without onions.
Edited August 2023
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1 kg. courgettes
2-3 large onions, peeled and thickly sliced (you can omit onions, if you wish.
1-2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. carom (ajwain) seeds
1-2 dry red chillies, broken up or whole (optional)
8-10 curry leaves (optional)
A pinch of asafoetida powder or heeng/hing
1 level tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. chilli powder (to taste)
1 tsp. salt (to taste)
1 tsp. tomato puree or 1 medium chopped tomato (optional)
Instructions
Wash and slice the tories/courgettes thickly, about 1 1/2 cm thick, either in rings or as batons or fingers.
Heat oil in a wok or kadhai.
Add carom seeds and asafoetida powder. Let the seeds splutter.
Add whole chillies.
Add onions and stir-fry until lightly browned
Add all spices, green chillies and tori/courgettes. Stir fry for a minute or two, until vegetables are well coated with spices.
Lower heat to low-medium, cover and cook until tender, stirring from time to time. You may need to add 3-4 tbsp. of water, depends on how fresh the courgettes are and how high your heat is. Generally, no water is required
Adjust salt/chillies by tasting.
Turn heat off.
Serve hot with Chapatti.
Notes
You can cook many other vegetables using this recipe.
Selecting correct heat comes with practice, trial and error. It should be simmering very gently, otherwise vegetables may 'catch'. If you need to add water while cooking, sprinkle 1-2 tbs. at a time.
Courgettes require very little spices. Do not add garam masala unless you are specifically fond of it.
