Peerkangai Kathirikai Masiyal | Ridge Gourd Brinjal Dal in 15 Minutes (Pressure Cooker)

About This Recipe

Peerkangai kathirikai masiyal is a 15-minute pressure cooker recipe that tastes nothing like diet food — and yet fills you up for hours without the guilt. Soft peerkanai and kathirikai cooked down with toor dal, then tempered with gingelly oil, mustard seeds, and fresh curry leaves. This is peerkangai kadayal/masiyal the way it’s made at home quick, creamy, and genuinely satisfying.

What Makes This Masiyal Different

Most masiyal recipes use only one vegetable. This one uses both peerkangai and kathirikai together — and that combination is the reason the texture turns out so silky. Ridge gourd melts completely into the dal. Brinjal adds just enough body so it’s not watery. You can’t get that balance with one vegetable alone.

The other thing: gingelly oil in the tempering. Not regular oil. That one ingredient makes it smell and taste like something made with actual care — not just a quick weekday dal.

Ingredients

For the masiyal:

• ½ cup peerkangai (ridge gourd), chopped small
• ½ cup kathirikai (brinjal), chopped small
• ¼ cup toor dal, soaked 15 min
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 red chillies
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp tamarind dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup water

For tempering:

• 1 tbsp gingelly oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Fresh curry leaves

Peeling your peerkangai? Don’t throw that skin — make this Peerkangai Thol Thuvaiyal with it. Zero waste, two recipes from one vegetable.

How to Make Peerkangai Kathirikai Masiyal

Preparation for Masiyal

Cut peerkangai and kathirikai into small, even half-inch pieces for a smooth masiyal texture. Soak the toor dal for 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 1 : Adding vegetable and dal in a cooker

In a pressure cooker, add:

• chopped peerkanagai (ridge gourd)
• Kathirikai (brinjal)
• onions
• soaked toor dal
• red chillies
• turmeric powder
• tamarind (with water)
• salt

Add enough water and mix everything well.

Step 2 : Adding vegetable and dal for cooking

Close the lid and pressure cook for 3–4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.

Step 3: Mash the Masiyal

Open and mash the mixture lightly using a ladle (this gives the classic kadayal texture).

Add the tempering : Heat gingelly oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the cooked masiyal. Mix well — your delicious masiyal is ready!

Step 4: Masiyal Ready

Serve this with hot rice with ghee , chapathi , idli and dosa

Peerkangai Kathirikai Masiyal (Ridge Gourd Brinjal Dal)

Creamy, comforting South Indian masiyal made with ridge gourd, brinjal and toor dal in a pressure cooker. Ready in 15 minutes.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 bowl

Course: Accompaniment, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: south indian, Tamil Nadu

Calories: 85

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Masiyal

• 1/2 cup peerkangai (ridge gourd) peeled, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup kathirikai (brinjal / eggplant) chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup Toor dal soaked in water for 15 minutes
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 whole red chilles
• 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 small size tamrind or dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 cup water
• to taste salt

Tempering

• 1 tbsp gingelly oil sesame oil — don't substitute with regular oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 handful fresh curry leaves fresh only, not dried

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker
• Small tempering pan
• Ladle

Method

 

1. Peel the ridge gourd and chop into small, even ½-inch pieces. Chop brinjal the same size. Finely dice the onion. Soak toor dal in water while you prep 15 minutes is enough.
2. Add peerkangai, kathirikai, soaked toor dal, onion, red chillies, turmeric, tamarind water, salt and 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker. Stir gently to combine. Do not mash at this stage.
3. Pressure cook for 4 whistles . Close the lid and heat on high until the first whistle. Reduce to medium-high heat and cook for 3 more whistles (about 10–12 minutes total). Turn off the heat immediately after the 4th whistle. Let the pressure release
4. Open the cooker once pressure has fully released. Use a ladle to mash everything together until creamy with some small chunks still visible. This is the classic kadayal texture — do not over-mash into a paste
5. Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil in a small pan on high heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Add cumin seeds and fresh curry leaves — the leaves will darken in about 15 seconds. Pour the hot sizzling tempering directly over the masiyal and mix immediately. Serve warm.

Notes

• Cut vegetables small and even — this is what gives the masiyal its creamy texture
• Always use fresh curry leaves for the tempering, not dried
• If your masiyal turns out watery, reduce water to ¾ cup next time — brinjal releases its own moisture during cooking
• Make the tempering right before serving, not ahead of time — the sizzle is where the flavour comes from

Tips & Variations

Don’t skip tamarind. It adds a background tang that makes the whole thing taste complete. Lemon works in a pinch, but tamarind is better.

For kids: Skip red chillies. Add a tiny pinch of jaggery after mashing. Soft, mild, and they’ll actually eat it.

For more protein: Mix in ¼ cup moong dal with the toor dal. Same method. Adds 2g protein per serving.

Lower calorie: Use 1 tsp oil instead of 1 tbsp for tempering. Drops to about 65 cal per serving.

Serving with rice? This Mullangi Sambar pairs beautifully alongside — make both and your full South Indian lunch is sorted.

Love the kadayal style? Try this Pachai Payaru Kadayal next — same pressure cooker method, done in 15 minutes.

Why This Peerkangai Kathirikai Masiyal is Good for Weight Loss

This recipe is naturally low in calories but still filling because of the combination of dal and vegetables. The fiber from peerkangai and kathirikai helps you stay full longer, while the protein from toor dal keeps your energy steady. Since it’s cooked with very little oil and no heavy ingredients, it’s a light and healthy option for everyday meals.

FAQs for peerkangai kathirikai masiyal

Looking for a non veg side dish? Serve this masiyal with rice on one side and this Chicken Liver Masala for the non-veg lovers — one meal, everyone happy.

Final Thoughts

That’s your lunch sorted for the week.

This peerkangai kathirikai masiyal takes 15 minutes, uses ingredients you already have, and tastes like something that took much longer. Make it once and you’ll understand why it’s a permanent fixture in my kitchen.

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Comment below and tell me — did you serve it with rice, chapati, or idli? And more creamy or more chunky? I read every single comment and love knowing how it turned out in your kitchen.

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