Udupi Wedding style Ridge Gourd Sambar | Beerakaya Sambar

Udupi Wedding style Ridge Gourd Sambar, also known as Beerakaya Sambar, is a traditional South Indian dish that is commonly served at weddings in Udupi, a region in the state of Karnataka, India. It is made by cooking ridge gourd (beerakaya) with a variety of lentils, spices, and tamarind juice. Here is a recipe to make it:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya) peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 cup Toor dal
• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the Toor dal with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker until it becomes soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, and chana dal. Let them sizzle.
3. Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and sauté until the raw smell of masala goes away.
4. Add the Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya) and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the cooked dal, tamarind juice, salt, and 2 cups of water. Mix it well.
6. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the Ridge Gourd (Beerakaya) is cooked through.
7. Add chopped cilantro and mix it well.
8. Serve the Udupi Wedding style Ridge Gourd Sambar hot as a side dish with rice or idlis.

Note: You can adjust the quantity of red chili powder, tamarind juice and salt as per your taste and preference. And also you can add some chopped onions, green chilies, ginger or other vegetables of your choice to enhance the flavors.