Bussaaru (Gowda's style)

Ingredients:

Ridge Gourd.- 1
Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - Pinch
water - 4 cups

For the Masala:

Oil - 1Tblspn
Onion - 1/2
Garlic cloves - 4
Curry Leaves - 3-4
Jeera - 2 tspn
Pepper - 1/4 tspn
Coriander - 3-4 sticks
Tomato- 1
Sambhar Powder (I use MTR) - 1 Tblspn
Tamarind - 1 inch
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

For Vagarne:

Musturd seeds - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves.
Asafoetida(hing) - pinch
For the vegetable Palya(vegetable side dish):
1/2 tspn mustard seeds.
1/2 Large Onion chopped.
5-6 green chillies slit lengthwise/ 5-6 Red chillies split once
few Curry leaves.
Grated coconut for garnishing.
1Tblspn chopped Coriander for garnishing.

Procedure:

Peel the ridge of the Ridge gourd. Make sure you do not overdo this. Just the ridge part must be removed. The rest of the peel should still be intact.
Now cut the Ridge Gourd lengthwise. and chop them into approximately1/2 inch width pieces.
Cook the Ridge gourd and Toor Dal in about 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric for 1 whistle.
Drain and preserve both the vegetable and broth(the water in which the vegetable is cooked) seperately.
In a pan fry the onions with the curry leaves and jeera in 1tblspn of oil until the onions turn transclucent. If you want to avoid the smell of raw garlic , you could add this also for frying.
Grind the above along the rest of the ingredients mentioned in the Masala section. Grind to a fine paste.
Now add this masala to the broth , add salt to taste and bring this to a boil. Add more water if required to give a soup consistency.Continue to boil for 4-5 mins.Put off heat.This is the 'Saaru'.

Vagarne(tadka):

In a seperate pan(kadai) add 1 tblspn oil, Once hot, add 1/2 tspn mustard seeds.Once they splutter, put off the heat. when still hot add curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida(Hing) powder.
Now add this into the "Saaru'
Palya(side dish):
In a pan, heat about 2-3 tblspns of oil. Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter add curry leaves, green chillies and onion. Cook till the Onions turn transclucent.
Now add the drained Ridge gourd and toor dal. Add salt and stir . Keep covered in low heat for 2-3 minutes or until hot uniformly.
Remove lid , transfer to a serving bowl , and garnish with chopped coriander and grated coconut.