Ridge Gourd Bake Casserole is a delicious Week night dinner idea.
The Ridge Gourd is a gourd vegetable growing in the tropical regions of this world, and most particularly on the Indian subcontinent.
Learn how to use this healthy vegetable in this ridge gourd bake casserole with the step by step recipe further below:
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My all time favorite vegetable on the Indian subcontinent can only be the humble Ridge gourd, which is also known as Luffa in English.
It's versatile, easy to handle and it soaks in flavors like a sponge.
Of course the Ridge gourd has a delicious flavor that could be described as smooth, a bit earthy.
I can compare the flavors to vegetables such as the white Pumpkin, Zucchini and the Asian Eggplant.
I have introduced you earlier to the Ridge gourd and of course I have been eagerly developing savory Eastern and Western recipes for your home.
Today I have this western style Ridge Gourd Bake for you which comes close to a favorite Zucchini Recipe of my mom's.
She would make this recipe during autumn time, exactly when we were loaded with Zucchinis in Europe.
I am aware of the fact that many of you might never have encountered a ridge gourd at the farmers market.
In fact it is still a rare vegetable in our markets.
India is loaded with Ridge gourd and right now is the season when the vegetable grows the best, especially in the tropical state Goa.
Growing Ridge Gourd at home
The Ridge gourd seeds that I had planted more then a month ago in our garden have been growing well.
Though I do have some ugly hairy, and poisonous, caterpillars devouring the leaves.
My experience: Growing anything around the Western Ghats is a huge challenge!
Anyway... the Ridge Gourd is a vegetable to look out for and I believe you would have as much appreciation for it in the future as we do here!
Enjoy this easy weeknight or lunch Ridge gourd bake at home and keep in mind to use only fresh Ridge gourds
If the gourds aren't fresh there is a tendency the taste might alter and become a bit bitter.
If you have any questions around the ridge gourd and on how to prepare it otherwise, feel free to contact me.
I'll be happy to assist you in your cooking quest.
Otherwise, for the mean time you might want to check out the Ridge Gourd Bhaji (Spicy vegetarian Indian stir fry side dish) or my Quiche de Goa with Breadfruit and Luffa Veg for inspiration.
Dear Reader, have you ever cooked with the Ridge Gourd and if yes, what did you prepare?
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with Spices and Herbs
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Ridge Gourd Bake Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Ridge Gourds medium size
- 1 Onion
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Garlic chopped
- ½ small Bell Pepper
- 200 grams Button Mushrooms
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil one for the frying and one for the drizzle
- 200 milliliter Tomato Puree
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin ground
- 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper
- 50 grams Cheese grated
Instructions
- Peel the Ridge gourds completely (all the green skin off!), cut the end of, half them and place them cut size up in a baking form as shown.
- Chop your onion roughly and chop your garlic. Slice your capsicum into stripes and slice the stripes into smaller once. Peel your Button Mushrooms and roughly chop them too.
- Heat up a pan with 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil and fry your onion pieces translucent. Add the Garlic and Capsicum and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until a bit softer. Now add the roughly chopped Button Mushrooms as well and stir fry occasionally. Lots of water usually comes out of the mushrooms and the chopped pieces will shrink a bit. Fry until they seem to be cooked.
- Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius.
- Continue to add in the whole amount of the Tomato Paste and mix it in and season with Cumin Powder, Pizza Herb seasoning, pinch Salt & Pepper. Cook the whole content on a slower flame until the liquidity is reduced.
- Pour the whole tomato mushroom content onto the prepared Ridge gourds and spread into an even layer. Top with the grated Cheese and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil evenly on top and place the dish into the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is getting golden brown.
- Enjoy the Ridge Gourd bake as a main or as a Side.
Your ridge gourd preparation is looking so wonderful! Brilliant work!
Goodness- Is this the same thing that people wash with in Sierra Leone. There are tons of trees of it around the place but i guess it is only picked when it is old so that the fibres are quite hard and used as a body scrubber.
yeah I think so it's the same. They dry the inner flesh in the sun (it's quite airy the vegetable) and sell it as organic shower luffas. Here in the Indian subcontinent its widely used as vegetable. It's super delicious and one of my favorite veggies. =)
Mmmmm....what a terrific looking casserole! Till I can find a ridge gourd, I will try your recipe with zucchini 🙂
Luffa is a new ingredient for cooking to me (although I've used as a shower sponge "luffa"), yet I love how you used this veggie to make delicious food!
Oh, from Maureen's comment - the gourd is the same as one of those shower sponges?? I never knew! I've never seen such a thing anywhere. We can get raw beets in stores these days quite easily, can also buy taros and some other weird stuff but I think it will be a while before I see a gourd like this! The dish looks tasty though, I'll just have to imagine the flavour 😀
I have never seen a fresh luffa, only the dried variety hanging in shower recesses. I didn't know they were edible! I will look out for them from now on at the grocery store. Thanks for sharing a new edible ingredient for me xx
this looks so interesting and delicious. I love that the name is Luffa bc when i think of a luffa i think taking a shower! LOL! It looks great
We never had gourd before, but this recipe sounds very interesting and looks really delicious!
Fascinating, Helene. From your photos and first paragraph, the luffa does seem similar to a zucchini. Your baked dish certainly does beckon foodies (like me) with all the spicy accents and cheesy deliciousness of pizza =)
How interesting! I had to look it up in its raw form to see if I had seen it-and I have, usually at Asian markets! I didn't know that that was what they were called 🙂
Oh yeah actually if you tap the link above in the post for Ridge gourd Bhaji, you would have seen the original form of it more clearly too. I should have been more clear, my mistake Lorraine. It has many names in Asia so I am not surprised that you had seen it but that you didn't know the name. Here again in Goa they know it as Gossai while a few km up north it will be known differently.
I've never heard of this gourd but now I definitely want to try it!
That looks ever so scrumptious and mouthwatering! I've never had luffa, but I'm sure I'd enjoy your tasty gratin.
Cheers,
Rosa
I have never had ridge gourd cooked Western style...now that you mention it, yes it is a bit similar to zucchini 🙂 You have turned a humble vegetable into a delicacy 🙂
Luffa is a new one for me my friend but this dish looks quite flavoursome 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love ridge gourds...my mum used to make noodle soup with them for our lunch during the summer time. Your baked version looks equally delicious!
This looks very tasty, Helene. I am always intrigued by the different types of produce you share here - so many that I have never heard of (or probably never would hear of)
What a tasty-lloking dish, Helene! I am afraid I will have to prepare it with courgettes because I have never seen ridge gourds here. Thank you for this vegetable discovery. It does sound exceptional indeed.
I have never heard of ridge gourd, but it seems like it could be similar to zucchini. You ridge gourd bake looks hearty and really gorgeous! Beautiful, Hugs, Terra
I love the taste mild taste of ridge gourd and have used in pastas and in koftas. This baked version is new for me and sound delish.
Like Maureen, I had no idea you could eat a luffa! That's news to me! I've shower with them, but have never been that intimate with them in the kitchen. 🙂 I don't know if I've ever seen the gourd here in a culinary sense, but now I'm very curious because I love to try new ingredients. This bake looks delicious as I'm sure it is.
Gourds aren't my favorite, perhaps it's so bland. But I'd eat this baked version filled with delicious ingredients any time! A must try 🙂
That's an interesting bake.. Looks inviting !
LOL at Maureen's comment! I've heard about ridge gourds before (probably from you!) but haven't seen them in my Asian markets. Or maybe I have, but didn't know what I was looking at! Anyway, nice recipe. But do watch out for those caterpillars!
I absolutely adore root vegetables (the earthy flavour appeals to me for some reason). This dish sounds scrumptious! I'll keep an eye out for ridge gourds - thanks for introducing us. 😀
I've only ever used a luffa in the shower! How interesting to know you can eat it. 🙂
hahahahaha! You are outrageous!! But ridge gourd is really yumm!!!
@Helene: The dish looks scrumptious. I miss Toroi here a lot. Sometimes I get them and Indian store and buy them. Zucchini is the closest that I have come to here.
Ooh, that looks interesting, and I've never heard of a Luffa before.
Janie x
PS if your catepillars are poisonous, I would offer them a seat as they eat their dinner 🙂