Description
The name beera pottu comes from beerakaya for ridge gourd and pottu meaning skin or rind. The thick outer layer does not go well with the super tender pulp of the gourd so it's often removed but makes a delicious chutney by itself if treated properly. Because the gourd itself is pricey, and it takes a lot of vegetables to make a decent amount of chutney, it is considered an indulgent dish and prepared occasionally. Many families will peel and freeze the rinds over time to collect enough to make a sufficient amount of chutney.
Ingredients
- Rinds of 3 beerakayas
- 2 tsp minapa pappu/ural dal/black gram
- 4 dried red chillies, broken in half
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1" ball of tamarind without pits or 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 6 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Dry roast minapa pappu till golden brown and set aside to cool
- In a wok, heat the oil and add the dried red chillies, minapa pappu and cumin seeds
- Remove the popu into a bowl and add salt, turmeric and tamarind (add 2 tbsp of water if using dry tamarind)
- Add the beera pottu to the wok and fry till the color gets darker
- Add the popu mixture into a grinder and grind coarsely
- Add the rest of the ingredients and grind till desired consistency
Serve over hot, steaming rice with some ghee