Beerakaya Endu Royyala koora , Ridge Gourd with Dried Shrimp

If this was India, this dish would be cooking in our house every week or at least one every other week.
Dried seafood has its own place when its comes to cooking. If you ever tasted it, you would surely fall in love with it. I love both dried fish and dried shrimp. There are lots of varieties you can get. In Fish, you can get both big fillets to small whole dried fish. Same in shrimp , you can get big, small and even royya pottu, which is dried shrimp skin. A little of this goes a long way when it comes to taste. They are already salty, so remember that when adding salt to your dish!

Here in US, we can get dried shrimp or fish in Asian or even in some Indian grocery stores.
This dish can be made with any veggie like, ridge gourd, eggplant, green plantain etc.,.
Its very easy with very less number of ingredients, all you need is ginger garlic paste, onions and chilli powder. :)) and you get this amazing dish which goes totally yum with hot rice or even with chapathis.
This dish can also with fresh shrimp instead of dried shrimp.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried shrimp
2-3 ridge gourds, beerakaya (depending on size), chopped into small pieces

1/2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
few curry leaves
1 small onion, chopped
4 green chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

Wash the dried shrimp in hot water and soak for about 10-15 min.
Heat oil in a pan.
Saute onions and green chillies till translucent.
Add the curry leaves.
Add the soaked shrimp and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped ridge gourd and some salt.
(Remember that dried fish or shrimp is salty, so add accordingly. You can always add more later but cannot remove)
When the ridge gourd wilts and gets half cooked, add the turmeric and chilli powder.
Cook until most of the water shedded by the ridge gourd is gone or dried up.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with hot rice or chapatis.
Enjoy!!!