Double Fun!

I learnt this recipe from my mother, who is a wonderful cook! Amma's simple rasam and potato fry, my all time favourite comfort food :-) Anyways, this is one of the yummilicious things amma makes - Ridgegourd/Star Melon Chutney. (I use the peel for this and the flesh, I simply chop it up and add it to my dal recipe, great way to make full use of the vegetable!)

• Ridgegourd/Star Melon, 1
  
• Fresh coconut, grated, 1/2 cup
• Dry red chillies, 3-4
• Chana Dal (split yellow lentils), 2 tbsp
• Urad Dal (split white lentils) 1 tbsp
• Coriander seeds (1/2 tbsp)
• Jeera (whole cumin) 1 tsp
• Tamarind, 1/2 tsp
  
• Jaggery (molasses) 1/2tsp
  
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Curry leaves, hing (asafotieda), mustard seeds, jeera for tempering
• Salt

1. Wash the ridgegourd/star melon and shave off the peel. Get most of it, but keep off the flesh as much as possible.
2. Dry roast red chillies, Chana Dal, Urad Dal, coriander seeds and Jeera.
   
3. Heat a wok or frying pan and put in the peel and let it sweat a bit. Keep tossing it. If you feel it is too dry then you could add a tspn or so of water. This step is just to get rid of the raw smell of the peel.
   
4. Add tamarind paste and jaggery and saute for a couple of minutes. Turn off heat and let it cool.
5. Then, combine with the grated coconut and roasted ingredients and grind to a smooth paste.
6. Add salt to taste and temper with oil, mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves and hing.