Ridge gourd curry

• Ridge Gourd (Peerkangai) - 3
• King Prawn - 6-8 or Egg - 1
• Onion - 1 small
• Green chilli - 1 (optional)
• Tomato - 1/2
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Ground Fennel seeds( Sounff/Sombu) - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1cm long strip
• Curry leaves - few (optional)
• Oil - 1 tblsp
• Tinned coconut milk - 2 tblsp or 100ml fresh thick coconut milk
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required

1. Chop the onion and tomato; Peel off the vegetable and chop it into 1cm slices; Cut each slice into two; Grind the fennel seeds into a powder.
2. Heat a saucepan and add oil.
3. Add cinnamon,curry leaves, onion and chilli; fry until onion becomes light brown.
4. Add tomato, turmeric powder and chilli powder ; saute for few minutes.
5. Add chopped vegetable and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add salt and 1/4 cup of water.
7. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the vegetable is cooked well. It might take about 8-10 minutes.
8. Stir the vegetables few times when they are getting cooked. Make sure there is enough water in the pan for the vegetables to be cooked while stirring.
9. After the vegetables are cooked, add either the egg or prawns to the pan now. If egg is being added instead of prawns, break it into a small bowl, beat it and add it to the pan of vegetables.
10. Add coconut milk and ground fennel seeds in the end and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. If fresh coconut milk is being added, then boil it for few more minutes until the curry becomes thick.

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