SERVING SIZE – 3 to 4
INGREDIENTS:
- Poosanikkai/ Ash Gourd – 2 chopped
- Curd (beaten) – 1 cup
- Salt – to taste
For Grind:
- Channa Dal – 1 tbsp
- Coconut – 3 tbsp
- Green chilies – 2 nos or to taste
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
For Tempering:
- Coconut oil/any cooking oil – 2 tsp
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Urad dal (Broken) – ½ tsp
- Asafoetida – 2 pinches
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
PREPARATION:
- Remove the skin from the Poosanikkai/ Ash Gourd and cut into small cubes.
- Take a heavy bottom pan add the chopped Poosanikkai/ Ash Gourd and add little water (approx. ¼ cup, do not add more water). Add enough salt, mix it well and cover it with lid. Let it cook until it gets tender. If needed add some more water.
- Soak the Channa dal for half an hour. Grind it with coconut, green chilies and cumin seeds to the paste consistency.
- After Poosanikkai/ Ash Gourd cooked well, add the ground paste and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes and finally add the curd and mix it well. Switch off the stove.
- Heat the oil, add Mustard seeds. When it splutters add Urad dal. Finally add the asafoetida and curry leaves and mix it well. Pour it into the gravy.
- Serve it hot with rice or as a side dish for spicy dishes.
Note:
- If the gravy is too watery add 1 tbsp of rice flour and mix it with little water and pour it in to the gravy, let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Poosanikkai has lot of water content so it doesn’t need lot of water, while adding water add carefully.
It is a nice dish, not only as a side dish but can also be
mixed with rice, which will be very tasty to eat with Vadam.
Ponnammal Balasubramanian