Chori Turia nu Shaak

EVENT: FOODIE’S REDOING OLD POSTS #13
What is Chori Turia Nu Shaak?
A simple vegetable side dish or sabji is called shaak in Gujarati. Its usually enjoyed with some rotli or paratha along with a dal and some rice. A typical daily Gujarati meal at my home is one or two shaak, dal or kadhi, roti, chaas and a salad. If I make roti then I don’t make rice, if there is rice on the menu then rotis will not be made. Chori Turia nu Shaak is just simply a mixture of chori and turia. Chori (Vigna Sinensis) is also known as yard long beans, asparagus beans, Chinese long beans or snake beans. The ones available in India and the ones I’ve seen in Indonesia are really long. Turia is ridge gourd.
Other Shaaks
Most daily Gujarati shaaks or vegetables are simple with few spices. Many homes use fresh ginger and fresh green chilis, little or no red chili powder, turmeric powder and all have dhana jiru powder added at the end. Dhana is coriander and jiru is cumin. Every Gujarati Masala(spice)box or tin will have dhana jiru powder.
Here are some examples of simple shaaks:
What else can be added to Chori?
Try replacing the turia or ridge gourd with chopped brinjal or cook it with some peas. Adding cubed potatoes is another option.
My Father in Law loved it
Every Saturday, my father in law loved going veggie shopping to the famous Old Mackinnon Market in Mombasa. Old Mackinnon Market or Markiti as its commonly known was built by the British Company JL Limited in the year 1914 to serve mainly the colonialists. Yes, that’s how old the market is. Years ago it served as a trading centre and was named and opened by then the British Governor of Kenya, Sir Henry Mackinnon. The market is now gazetted as a National Monument. I love going to the market for all my fruits and vegetables. Just the riot of colors, aroma of spices, the sweet fruits beckoning you and familiar faces makes the trip worth while. So coming back to my father in law, whenever he would go to the market, he would not miss buying chori as it was his favorite.
Updated for the Event:
This post has been updated for the Facebook group called Foodie’s_Redoing Old Posts. Its a group that Renu who blog’s at Cook With Renu, thought out and put into action. We’re on our 13th Foodies Re-doing Old Post and I simply love this group. Why? Well, its got me to pay more attention to my much neglected old posts. For this post I have updated the pictures and a bit of the write up of the Gujarati style of using yard long beans and ridge gourd to make a simple and yet delicious and healthy side dish, sabji or shaak. However, the recipe remains the same.
Dietary Tips:
- Its a good healthy vegan dish
- Its gluten free if you do not asafetida. Asafetida is usually mixed with wheat flour unless you get the pure form.
- For a Satvik version, don’t add garlic.
- For a Jain version don’t add garlic or ginger
Go on check out the recipe for this simple shaak and enjoy it.



Serves 4
4 cups chopped chori (about 500g)
2½ cups diced turia (ridge gourd)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain, ajmo)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ to 1 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp ginger paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder ( haldi)
a generous pinch of asafetida
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander cumin powder (dhana jiru)
1 to 1¼ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp oil
3 tbsps chopped fresh coriander
- Wash the yard long beans. Trim both the ends and chop the beans into about a ¼ inch thickness. If you find some of the beans are not tender then open them up and remove the tender beans.Throw the peel away and mix the beans with the chopped beans.
- Wash and peel the ridge gourd. Chop of the ends and taste it to make sure that the ridge gourd is not bitter.
- I don’t like to peel the skin off completely. Cut the turia or ridge gourd into cubes.
- Heat oil in a wide pan. When it is hot add mustard, cumin and carom seeds.
- When they begin to splutter add the chopped garlic. Stir fry till the garlic becomes light pink.
- Add ginger and chilli pastes, turmeric powder and asafetida.
- Add the chopped turia and chori.
- Add salt and sugar and mix well.
- Cover and let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes over low heat. If you want to make it in the pressure cooker, then let it cook over low heat for 1 whistle only.
- Add dhana jiru and mix well.
- Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve.
Tips:
- Can add red chilli powder if you like.
- Taste the ridge gourd from both ends before cutting. It can be bitter sometimes.
- To buy fresh ridge gourd, press it gently between your thumb and finger. If it is soft then its not fresh. Should be a bit firm.
- Dhana jiru is available ready made in Indian shops. However, its very easy to make it at home. Take 1 part coriander seeds and ¼ part cumin seeds. Roast them separately till you get a pleasant aroma. Let the seeds cool and then grind to a powder.
Pin for later:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
27 Comments
Anonymous
October 10, 2017 at 8:57 pm
Yes! Finally something about health.
Renu Agrawal Dongre
December 2, 2019 at 8:21 pm
Have made both the vegetable separately but never together. Loving this version with simple spices, would go well with rotis
mayurisjikoni
December 3, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Thanks Renu, usually all Gujarati style daily sabji or shaak are with simple spices.
usha
December 9, 2019 at 3:05 pm
I make this combination and it is one of our favorite sabjis. I add onion and garlic instead of ginger. I am sure even this version tastes wonderful.
mayurisjikoni
December 10, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Thanks Usha, sometimes I add garlic too.
sizzlingtastebuds
December 10, 2019 at 12:41 pm
I love Gujarati shaak and these simple ones in particualr. We make the sabji similarly wit urad dal-mustard seeds tempering. adding grated coconut at the end , like a bangalore “palya”. will try ur Dhana-Jiru powder version soon …
mayurisjikoni
December 10, 2019 at 4:47 pm
Thanks Kalyani, I’d love to try palya.
poonampagar
December 10, 2019 at 4:25 pm
I make ridge gourd and yard long beans stir fry separately and add little roasted peanuts to it. I loved your version of mixing the two veggies . Would love trying it sometime soon.
mayurisjikoni
December 10, 2019 at 4:43 pm
Thanks Poonam and I will try with the peanuts.
Lata Lala
December 11, 2019 at 12:45 pm
This one is fantastic combination of two vegetables. I have never tried mixing both though we always cook ruria and chori separate.
This looks simple yet delicious.
mayurisjikoni
December 11, 2019 at 6:07 pm
Thanks Lata and mixing Turia with other vegetables is the only way I was taught when I first started cooking.
Lathiskitchen
December 11, 2019 at 10:31 pm
Never tried to make ridge gourd this way. This looks interesting. Will try this.
mayurisjikoni
December 12, 2019 at 11:19 am
Thanks Lathiya, its a popular sabji in our family.
Padma Veeranki
December 12, 2019 at 11:49 am
I have cooked them separately making many poriyals, but never combined them,,,Sounds interesting, must try some time!! I am sure even the combo tastes wonderful. Simple yet delicious shaak!!
mayurisjikoni
December 12, 2019 at 5:22 pm
Thanks Padma, and I’ve not cooked them separately. Always pair turia with some other vegetable.
Pavani
December 13, 2019 at 2:42 am
That is such an interesting combination of veggies. I’ve never tried chori with turai but it sounds absolutely delicious. I am going to look for these veggies next time I go grocery shopping.
mayurisjikoni
December 14, 2019 at 7:45 pm
Thanks Pavani, hope you love the combination.
Jolly
December 13, 2019 at 4:14 am
I have cooked the veggies separately often at home but have not cooked both together. Will try that next time I make them. Actually, your Gujarati style recipes has tempted me to make them, very simple and earthy flavours into it.
mayurisjikoni
December 14, 2019 at 7:45 pm
Thanks Jolly, our daily sabjis are usually simple and yet full of flavors.
Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey
December 13, 2019 at 8:08 pm
I have always made these vegetables separately and enjoyed a lot, now that I’ve seen your recipe would love to try it very soon. Simple yet flavourful and perfect for my Sunday lunch with daal, bhat and rotli.
mayurisjikoni
December 14, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Thanks Jagruti, it certainly goes well with dal bhaat.
Jayashree
December 14, 2019 at 4:06 am
Interesting one, would love to try sometime. Never made both of them together. It pairs well with hot phulka.
mayurisjikoni
December 14, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Thanks Jayashree, the combination of Turia and chori is good, do try it someday.
greenbowl2soulgmailcom
December 15, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Very interesting combination. Though I regularly try different cuisines, such simple, homemade Indian recipes satisfy my taste buds to the core. I will definitely try this combination. Loved the fresh, bright green color of the dish.
mayurisjikoni
December 15, 2019 at 5:34 pm
Thank you so much Vandana, both the Turia and chori were absolutely fresh. I also add the haldi in the oil just before adding the sabji.
sasmita
December 21, 2019 at 11:03 am
Stir fry using both the vegetables sounds lovely. I like this kind of simple stir fry dishes. With roti i will enjoy thus surely
mayurisjikoni
December 21, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Thanks Sasmita.