Pooshinikkai mor kootu

This dish is extremely cooling especially in the summer. The flavour of a well cooked crunchy ash gourd [ pooshinikkai ] is delicious when served as a vegetable in a gravy.

Ingredients :

• Ash gourd [ pooshinikkai ] - 1 / 2 k. g. [ remove the outer skin and cut into cubes ]
• Drumstick - 1 [ cut into 1 / 2 inch lenth pieces ]
• Fresh curds - 2 cups [ beaten in 1 / 2 cup water ]
• Asafoetida - 1 / 4 tsp
• Salt -  as required
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Curry leaves -  little

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 / 2 tsp
• Coconut oil - 2 tbl. sps.

Grind together :

• Fresh grated coconut - 1 1 / 2 cup
• Green chillies - 4 to 5
• Rice powder - 2 tsp

Method :

Cut the ash gourd and drumstick together and boiled in water in kadai adding salt, and turmeric, till it becomes soft and done. Blend rice powder, green chillies and coconut into a fine paste. Add this paste and beaten curds to the cooked vegetable and stir over a low flame for 3 minutes until it comes to boil. Remove from the gas. Heat coconut oil in a pan and pop the mustard seeds, add to the vegetable. Garnish with  fresh curry leaves.