Poosanikai masala kootu (Ash gourd gravy)

Poosanikai masala kootu (Ash gourd gravy) - Preparation time 15 mins.

Already i tried 2 varieties of poosanikai kootu. This one is bit different. It can be taken as side dish or main dish for rice. Made bit spicy so can be mixed with white rice and little ghee.
When consumed with hot rice will be very tasty.

Ingredients:-
Poosanikai (ash gourd) - chopped to small cubes 1 cup
Channa dhal - tbsp
Toor dhal - 1 tbsp
Coriander - 1/2 tsp
Red chili - 3
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water as required.
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Mustard -- 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 10

Preparation method:-
Boil channa dhal (Kadalai paruppu) with little water in a vessel.

When this is half cooked add chopped poosanikai along with turmeric. 

In a tawa roast toor dhal, coriander seed and red chili with little oil. 

When roasted to golden brown cool it and transfer to mixer with grated coconut.

Ground this to slightly coarse powder.
When vegetable and dhal is cooked add required amount of salt and the ground spice powder.

The gravy will get thicker when it starts boiling. Switch of the flame when cooked well.
In a kadai add little oil, mustard to splutter and urad dhal to become golden brown.

Garnish the poosanikai masala kootu with this and chopped curry leaves.

Tasty and healthy poosanikai kootu is ready to serve with rice or chapathi. During summer we have to include water rich vegetables in your regular recipes. So previously i published ridge gourd kuruma and now poosanikai kootu. 

Ridge gourd gravy (Peerkangai kuruma)

Ridge gourd gravy (Peerkangai kuruma) - Preparation time 15 to 20 mins

I got few recipes of ridge gourd gravy from friends, relatives and browsing. I made few modifications in the recipe to make it as kuruma for chapathi or roti. Actually it tasted good and different. The vegetable (peerkangai) will be difficult to identified because in this recipe the skin of the vegetable will be peeled completely.
You can try this method of with your creative modifications also. It will be a new dish in your menu.If the ridge gourd is soft you have to use 2 medium size for 4 member family. 

Ingredients:-
Ridge gourd (Peerkangai) - 1 (skin peeled and chopped to small cubes)
Onion - 1 (chopped to small pieces)
Tomato - 1 (chopped to pieces)
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Khus Khus - 1 tsp
Cashew - 4
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - chopped 1/4 tsp
Garlic - chopped 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Clove, cinnamon stick, fennel seed - little
Water - as required

Preparation method:-
Heat the kadai add  oil, spices(fennel, clove, cinnamon) and fry when nice aroma come , add chopped ginger, garlic. 

When ginger garlic fried add chopped onion and fry till it turns color.

Add chopped peerkangai (ridge gourd).

When it gets half cooked add chopped tomato.

Add turmeric, salt and chili powder at this stage.

Sortae all the  vegetables till the tomato becomes soft. Required amount of water is added and close with a lid to the vegetables to cook softly. 

In a mixer add coconut, cashew and khuskhus with little water. Grind to fine paste.

When the vegetables are cooked add the grind paste to the gravy and cook this raw smell goes off.

Add chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot roti or chapathi.