Bassaaru, mosoppinna saaru, soppina saaru, maskai saaru, hedikidabele saaru, bele saaru prepared to serve or to add with plain rice,which is similar to daal and also famous accomplice to raagi mudde.A typical kannadiga meal. Karnataka cuisine is characterized by distinct textures,flavors and tastes.Maskai saaru  means mashed spiced vegetables prepared with ridge gourd,egg plant and potato with simple spices,which taste yum with rice or ragi mudde. 

Preparation time – 10 min

Cooking time – 20 min

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 

Tur dal – 3/4 cup

Garlic – 1 medium (peel the skin of each cloves)

Onion – 1 small size chopped

Green chilies – 5 no’s

Coriander – 1 small bunch chopped

Tomato – 2 medium

Ridge guard – 1 medium (Peel the skin and cut into medium pieces)

Potato – 1 medium cut into cubes

Egg plant/brinjal – 2 cut into medium pieces

Method to make or to prepare maskai saaru –  

Wash and drain tur dal in water, add it to a pressure pan along with chopped onion, garlic, green chilies, chopped coriander, whole tomatoes with 2 cup of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. when it is done and when the pressure of the cooker settles down of its own, open the lid and remove boiled green chilies and tomatoes, set aside to grind.

Wash chopped vegetables in water and cook separately in a vessel by adding a cup of water and salt to taste.

Cover the lid of it and cook it in a medium flame until it is done,

Ingredients to grind –

Coconut – 1/2 cup grated

Poppy seed – 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder (roasted and powdered) – 1 tbs

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Boiled green chilies

Boiled tomatoes

Method to grind – 

Add grated coconut, poppy seeds in a mixer jar and make a fine paste of it by adding little water to it, add dry powders and chilies and grind together.

Finally add boiled tomatoes and

Grind altogether to make a paste.

Mash cooked dal with spatula gently and add cooked vegetables into it and add grounded paste. Combine altogether. Stir

Bring it to boil, cook in a medium flame for 5 to 8 min.

Heat a tadka pan add little ghee or oil in it, when it is hot add 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds allow it to sizzle, add 1 spring of curry leaves saute, remove it from the flame add this tempering to prepared saaru. stir and cover the lid quickly so that the aroma of tempering remains with curry.

Enjoy Maskai saaru with plain rice and ragi mudde with any curries or side dish.

Note – 

Ensure the taste of ridge gourd is sweet or bitter before you prepare the curry, or else it spoils the taste of the dish. Select sweet and tender ridge gourd to prepare the curry.

You can add green chilies or red chilly powder to prepare this curry.

Adding egg plant and potato in not compulsory, you can prepare this dish with only ridge gourd.

The consistency of the curry must be thick .