Niramish Jhinger Dolma/Paneer stuffed ridge gourd

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Indian

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients

For the stuffing

• 3 ridge gourds peeled and
• 250 gm of chhana (cottage cheese) store bought or homemade
• 1/4 cup of grated coconut
• 1 tablespoon of posto/poppy seeds soaked in water
• 1/2 tea-spoon turmeric powder
• 1-2 green chilies
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tea-spoon cumin seed
• 1 table-spoon ghee
• some tooth picks

For the gravy

• 8-10 cashew nuts soaked in water and made to paste
• I teaspoonful of garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoonful of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoonful of cumin powder
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 2-3 green chilies
• ½ teaspoon of grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons of oil for cooking
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 inch of cinnamon
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 4-6 cardamom pods

Directions

For the stuffing

1. Take the ridge gourds and scrape them to remove the ridges. Cut them to 5 cm slices. Now, cut each 5 cm slice to 3-4 cm slice and 1-2 cm slice. The 3-4 cm slice will be used as the cup and 1-2 cm slice as the cover. (Actually, once I had tried cooking without the cover even. If the ridge gourd is flipped and turned carefully, the filling does not come out at all. So you can also try doing that. In that case cut the ridge gourd into 3 cm slice and scoop out the flesh )
2. Now, with a spoon scrape the cup to remove the inner flesh. Do not scrape them completely. Leave a little bit of flesh at the bottom such that they form bowls.
3. In a pot, take water, add salt and bring the water to boil. Add the ridge gourd and cook them for about 4-5 minutes.
4. Strain them and wash them in cold water to prevent over cooking of the ridge gourd.
5. Now, blend all the scraped flesh, posto and the green chili in a blender together.
6. Take a kadai, add the ghee and heat it. Once hot, temper with the cumin seeds.
7. As the ghee turns aromatic, add the scraped flesh and posto mixture , salt, turmeric powder, followed by the coconut and cook for few minutes till the raw flavor of the spices are gone.
8. Now, add the chhana and fold everything together to form a uniform mixture on low medium flame. Do not overcook the mixture at this point as the chhana might turn hard. At this point the stuffing starts coming together like a dough.
9. Turn off the flame. Your stuffing is ready. Let it cool.
10. Take a spoonful of the stuffing and put them inside the ridge gourd bowl. Now place the thinner slice on this bowl and seal them with a tooth pick. (see the step images below for better understanding)

For the gravy

1. Take a pan, add two tablespoons of oil and heat it. Now, lightly brown the stuffed jhinge carefully not to let out the stuffing.
2. Once done, add one tablespoon of oil and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves. As the oil turns aromatic, add the grated ginger, cashew paste , turmeric powder, cumin powder, green chilies, salt and sugar along with a splash of water.
3. Cook till you see oil leaving the sides of the kadai.
4. Now add the coconut milk along with 1/4 cup of water to the kadai. Then gradually add all the ridge gourds in the kadai.
5. Cover and Cook till the stuffed ridge gourd is completely cooked. (takes about 5-7 minutes)
6. Add water if necessary.
7. Cook till you achieve the desired consistency.
8. Turn off the flame.
9. Remove the toothpicks, serve with steamed rice and enjoy!!!

Notes
You can also stuff jhinge/ ridge gourd with fish or meat to prepare the amish version.