Lunch Box Recipes:

The school season has already begun here in India, and it’s about to start in the USA and other countries soon. Packing kid’s lunch is always a challenging task. I shared a few kiddo’s favorite lunch box recipes last year, and here I am back with another set of kids friendly lunch box recipes. Don’t miss to check out my A-Z lunch box recipes in my blog.  This week’s blogging marathon theme is “Kid’s friendly lunch box dishes, ” and as I mentioned above, I am going to share the ridgegourd rice recipe today. 

Ridgegourd Rice:

The first recipe that I am going to share is the Peerkangai Sadam/Ridgegourd rice. It’s mild, yet delicious rice with the veggie sneaked in. For these vegetable-based rice dishes, I always use vaangi baath and garam masala powder combination. It provides the required spice and flavor and makes it delectable. All you need to do is, do the tempering, cook the veggies with spice powder and finally add the rice and mix. That’s it.

Other Veggies to Use:

You can replace ridgegourd with your favorite vegetable. I usually prefer vegetables that get cooked quickly like Zucchini, Chayote Squash, Spinach, Snake gourd, Peas, etc. Once you have the veggies chopped and rice cooked, you can prepare this recipe in no time. If you have leftover rice, that works well for this recipe as well. Meal Plan Tips:

If you are planning to make this rice with ridgegourd, make sure you peel the ridgegourd and chop them well ahead.  Cook the rice a day before. 

How to Make Ridgegourd Rice?

Ingredients:

Oil – 2 tbsps Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 1 tsp Channa Dal – 1 tsp Red chili – 2 Hing – ¼ tsp Curry leaves – 1 sprig Onion – 1 Ridgegourd – 4 cups Vaangi baath powder – 1.5 tsps Garam masala – ½ tsp Salt – 2 tsps Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp Cooked Rice – 3 cups

Prep-Work:

Wash and peel the ridgegourd and cut them into small pieces. Finely chop the onion. Cook the rice in your preferred way and set aside 3 cups and let it cool. Break the dried red chilies and set aside.

Steps:

In a kadai heat the oil and add once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, and channa dal. As they start to splutter, add the broken red chilies, hing, and the curry leaves. Let it cook for a minute. At this stage, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent.

Then add the chopped ridgegourd, turmeric powder, vaangi baath powder, garam masala, and salt.

Mix it well and cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Do not add any water as ridgegourd oozes out water. After 4 minutes, remove the lid.

Let it cook until all the water evaporates and remove it from the heat.

Now add the cooked rice and mix well.

Finally, add the chopped cilantro and serve hot with raita.

Notes:

You can replace ridgegourd with your favorite vegetable. Instead of oil, you can do the tempering with ghee. But as I pack it for lunch, I go with oil. You can also add a dollop of ghee when you serve. Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference. When you are using water-rich veggies, do not add any water while cooking. If you are using vegetables like brinjal or okra, sprinkle some water.

Sending this recipe to BM#78. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM Also sending this to Srivalli’s Kid’s Delight event, guest hosted by Priya Srinivasan, themed on Kids Lunch Box Recipes.

📖 Recipe

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