Ridge Gourd
Ridge gourd bhaji is a familiar sight in many Indian kitchens. The vegetable is usually scraped, chopped, and cooked quickly with onions, chillies, and a few basic spices. What makes it memorable is its everyday reliability—a dish that comes together fast, pairs easily with rotis or rice, and makes good use of the vegetable’s peel for chutney so that nothing goes to waste.
—- Manya, Punjab
What is it?
Ridge gourd is a significant vegetable in the Cucurbitaceae family (the group that includes gourds and squashes). It is a tropical climbing vine grown for its young and tender fruits. Also referred to as angled gourd, angled loofah, Chinese okra, silky gourd, or ribbed gourd, the plant produces dark green fruits with white pulp and seeds embedded in a spongy flesh. These fruits, which range in shape from oblong to club-like, are characterised by a mild and slightly sweet flavour.
What other names does it have?
Botanical Name: Luffa acutangula
Regional Names: Turai, Torai (Hindi), Dodka, Shirola (Marathi), Turiya (Gujarati), Beerakaya (Telugu), Heerekayi (Kannada), Kalitori (Punjabi).
When is it in season?
Where is it found?
Ridge gourd is widely cultivated across tropical and subtropical regions. As a warm-season crop, it grows best in temperatures between 18°C and 28°C. The plant is adaptable to a wide range of soils, from light sandy types to heavier clays, and performs well within a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. Source.
What is its history/cultural significance?
The ridge gourd originated in India and is considered one of the most important cucurbits cultivated worldwide. It is widely distributed, occurring not only as a cultivated crop but also as a naturalised plant, and in some regions even as a weed. Ridge gourd production plays a vital role for smallholder farmers and exporters across Asia. With demand rising for particular fruit types across Asia, ridge gourd is likely to undergo more intensive breeding to favour these traits. While this can improve uniformity and market appeal, it may also narrow the crop’s genetic diversity, reducing its resilience to pests, diseases, and environmental change, as has been observed in crops such as durum wheat.
How can you use it?
Wash the ridge gourd thoroughly and trim both its ends. The outer ridges are typically removed, as they can become fibrous and unpalatable when cooked. For young and tender gourds, it is sufficient to lightly scrape away the ridges, whereas more mature fruits should be fully peeled. The discarded peel need not go to waste; it can be repurposed to make chutneys.
What states can I find it in?
What parts of the plant are edible?
Fruit
Is it nutritious?
The fruits contain a high amount of edible fibre and are rich in vitamins A and C as well as iron. (source)
How do you store it?
The storage life of ridge gourd is typically 3–4 days at room temperature and 7–8 days under refrigeration. To maximise shelf life, the fruits should be washed gently, dried thoroughly to prevent excess moisture, and stored in breathable bags or containers that allow adequate air circulation.
Stories:
Never go for recipes that tell you to peel the ridge gourd by Vikram Doctor, The Economic Times
This article argues that you shouldn’t peel ridge gourd in recipes — the skin gives good texture, flavour, and helps thicken dishes, so leaving it intact offers culinary benefits that many recipes overlook.
Recipes:
Beerakaya-fry Recipe by Swasthi’s Recipes
Dodka Bhaji Recipe by Dassana Amit
‘Know Your Desi Ingredients’ is an ever-expanding repository of knowledge for ingredients that are native to the Indian subcontinent and adapted into the mainstream culinary narratives of people, places, and cultures across India. If you would like to share more information about the write-ups featured here, send us an email at connect@thelocavore.in with your inputs and any verified sources we should look into.
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