Watermelon Rind Majjige Huli

Majjige huli is a signature dish in South India. It is a 'must try' dish for anyone visiting, especially vegetarians. The recipe may vary slightly in different households. It is probably a must in all weddings. I have described the one that we like. Also, different veggies can be used, including some greens. It is commonly made using Ash gourd (white pumpkin), but i recently made it using Watermelon rind and had shared it with my neighbors. They couldn’t figure out that it was indeed watermelon rind. This dish is very flavorful, the mustard slightly dominating it. This dish is commonly mixed with curd/yogurt before serving. However, it makes a good side dish without curd. It is quite versatile as it can be eaten with rice or as a side dish. Easy and quick to prepare, you may want to try it. Please add your thoughts in the comment section below.

Category : South Indian Curry/side dish

Ingredients :

Vegetable : Watermelon rind / Ash Gourd/Cucumber (~1/2 Kg), peeled and sliced

Curd: as needed

Coriander leaves : handful, chopped

Grind the following (need not be a fine paste) :

Coconut : 1 cup, grated

Green chillies : 3-4

Ginger: 1” piece

Mustard : 1.5 tsp

Cumin/Jeera: 1/2 tsp

Fried gram : 2 tbsp Turmeric: 1/2 tsp (optional)

Seasoning :

Oil : 1 tbsp

Red chillies : 2, broken in half

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Hing: dash, powdered

Curry leaves: 1-2 strings

Method:

Cook the vegetable in minimal water and a bit of salt till soft and well cooked (pierce with a fork or knife). Add the ground masala to the cooked vegetable, add salt, adjust taste and bring to a boil (do not over cook), turn off the heat. Make the tempering separately and add. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander. After it cools add thick curd and serve with hot rice. It can also be eaten without curd as a side dish.

Preparation Time : ~30-40 min

Variations :

This can also be prepared using roasted red chillies instead of green chillies.

Other veggies like Ash gourd, Cucumber, Cayote squash, etc can be used

INFORMATION

Please search other Watermelon and Cucumber recipes for information on them

Vegan - Can be (if vegan curd is used)

Gluten Free - YES

Glycemic Index (GI) is the rate of release of glucose in to blood stream, GI of glucose equal to 100

Gourds, like Ash gourd, cucumber, etc have very low GI. Cucumber = 15 GI

CALORIES : 1 Katori (150 g) = ~75 Cal

NUTRITIVE VALUE :

Ash gourd is low in calories, fat, carbs, and protein. 100-gram portion of raw ash gourd has : Calories: 13; Protein: less than 1 g; Carbs: 3 g ; Fiber: 3 g; Fat: less than 1 g; Vitamin C: 14% of the Daily Value (DV); Riboflavin: 8% DV; Zinc: 6% DV

HEALTH BENEFITS :

Ash gourd has been used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It is known to cool the body and sharpen the mind. It is rich in fiber and antioxidants that are believed to promote your health and help protect your body from disease. It is known to promote digestion. As it is low in GI, it is recommended for diabetics. Extracts made from ash gourd’s flesh, skin, and vine have been linked to an array of potential health benefits.

ORIGIN :

Ash Gourd (Benincasa hispida), also called wax gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, winter melon, belongs to the cucumber family, Cucurbitaceae. It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. Ash/wax gourd is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is widely grown throughout Asia, including Java and Japan, the places where it is thought to have originated and Sri Lanka.

WATER FOOTPRINT (is litres of water needed to produce the food) :

Pumpkin, squash, gourds = 336 L/Kg

DID YOU KNOW :

Ash gourd is believed to be an 'auspicious vegetable' and is known to create positive vibration. Hence it is hung in front of a new house. It is also used in many ceremonies.

It is known to sharpen the mind. Drinking fresh juice of ash gourd in the morning is believed to enhance sharpness of mind, increase energy. Some scientific studies have shown curative properties of ash gourd in reducing diarrhea, preventing inflammation.

REFERENCES :

https://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/Report47-WaterFootprintCrops-Vol1.pdf https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ash-gourd#2

https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/blog/article/ash-gourd-winter-melon-cool-vegetable-benefits-recipes Wikipedia