Vellai poosanikai kootu | ash gourd kootu – Traditional Tamil brahmin style kootu recipe with step-by-step pictures.
Ash gourd kootu | Poosanikai kootu is one of the staple in our home. We usually make kootu by grinding roasted urad dal, red chili, cumin seeds, and coconut. This one is a slightly different one. We use the spices which we used for making arachuvitta sambar.
We are not adding any tamarind in this kootu, but it will taste similar to sambar. In our house, this is made during functions or swami samaradani. We make either this kootu or rasavangi for auspicious occasions.
This kootu is traditionally made using ash gourd | winter melon. But you can make this with chow chow or any mixed vegetable too. Ash gourd is a very healthy vegetable. With the addition of dals this makes a protein-rich kootu.
You can also check out Cabbage kootu, Avarakkai poricha kootu, Chow chow kootu, Vazhaipoo thani kootu.
Poosanikai kootu recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups cubed ash gourd | white pumpkin
- 1/3 cup Toor dal
- ¼ cup chana dal
- 1 tsp sambar podi
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 pinches Asafoetida
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp coconut
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- Few curry leaves
To roast and grind
- 1 tsp oil
- 3 tsp coriander seeds
- 3 tsp chana dal
- 3 red chili
- 3 tbsp coconut
Instructions
- Soak the toor dal and chana dal in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
- Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, and asafoetida.
- Now top it with chopped ash gourd, do not immerse it.
- Pressure cook till 3 whistles.
- In a pan add 1 tsp oil and add the coriander seeds, chana dal and red chili.
- Roast this in medium flame till golden brown.
- Add 3 tbsp of coconut to this and grind this into a smooth paste.
- In the same pan add 2 tbsp of coconut.
- Roast this in a medium flame till slight golden brown.
- Keep this aside.
- In a pan add the cooked ash gourd dal mixture.
- Add the ground paste.
- If needed add little water to adjust the consistency.
- Mix well and let this boil for 2-3 minutes in medium flame.
- Stir in between.
- Switch off the flame.
- Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in 2 tsp coconut oil.
- Add this to the poosanikai kootu.
- Add the roasted coconut also to this.
- Poosanikai kootu is ready.
- Serve this with hot rice.
- You can pair this with potato curry | Yam fry or vazhakkai chips too.
Notes
2. Tempering in coconut oil enhances the flavor of the kootu.
3. Poosanikai kootu | ash gourd kootu pairs well with Hot rice.
- Soak the toor dal and chana dal in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
- Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, and asafoetida.
- Now top it with chopped ash gourd, do not immerse it.
- Pressure cook till 3 whistles.
- In a pan add 1 tsp oil and add the coriander seeds, chana dal and red chili.
- Roast this in medium flame till golden brown.
- Add 3 tbsp of coconut to this and grind this into a smooth paste.
- In the same pan add 2 tbsp of coconut.
- Roast this in a medium flame till slight golden brown.
- Keep this aside.
- In a pan add the cooked ash gourd dal mixture.
- Add the ground paste.
- If needed add little water to adjust the consistency.
- Mix well and let this boil for 2-3 minutes in medium flame.
- Stir in between.
- Switch off the flame.
- Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in 2 tsp coconut oil.
- Add this to the poosanikai kootu.
- Add the roasted coconut also to this.
- Poosanikai kootu is ready.
- Serve this with hot rice.
- You can pair this with potato curry | Yam fry or vazhakkai chips too.
- You can make the same kootu with chow chow too.
- Tempering in coconut oil enhances the flavor of the kootu.
- Poosanikai kootu | ash gourd kootu pairs well with Hot rice.
very interesting kootu, new to me, looks delicious..
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Drooling here 🙂
we make snake gourd thovve (dal), never tried kootu with it. Thanks for sharing
Very delicious n yummy kootu,very healthy too!!
Erivum Puliyum
Awesome kootu, like the fried coconut added to it..
Kootu is mouthwatering.
Adding roasted coconut makes the kootu interesting!
super healthy and wonderful kootu !!
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very intersting delicious kootu
We generally don't add coriander seeds while grinding for kootu…will try sometime…looks yum!
Delicious and lovely looking kootu.
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
I've never cooked ash gourd like this… would love to try it!
Delicious kootu…
looks so delicious!!
Kande Pohe
delicious kootu recipe….
yummy kootu …tempting pictures..
Bookmarked it.
adding roasted coconut gives nice flavour…really new to me jeya…will try it!!
I always love this ground masala combo! Wonderful recipe,perfect with rice!
Lovely kootu !! Never added coriander seeds to the masala..looks so good !!
Thats a delicious and yummy kootu. would love it for dosas…My culinary Trial room
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I think a bittergourd version is also there! you might have to add vellam _ nattu sugar
Hi, for the bitter gourd version we add tamarind extract also and i have that recipe in my site.
https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/2009/10/pavakkaibittergourdpitlai.html
wow delicious kuttu,i love this flavourful kuttu…yum yum.
Never tried ash gourd till now…looks yum….
wow……very traditionally done…..yummy
Easy to make and tasty to eat…nice recipe
That's a yummy koottu. Very different recipe.
i love this…totally yummy
Aarthi
https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/
Not a big fan of Poosanikai but would like to make it for my husband. I make the Kootu with the same ingredients too.
Very comforting dish for lunch..looks yumm
woww… simple and delicious curry..perfect with hot rice 🙂
Hi Jeyashri, I tried your pooshanikai kootu recipe and it was awesome! Thank you 🙂 You have a wonderful blog!!
-Nandini
Hi Jeyashri, I tried your pooshanikai kootu recipe and it was awesome! Thank you 🙂 You have a wonderful blog and I've bookmarked many recipes to try.
-Nandini
Hi jeyashri..Super cool….tried the recipe and too good! Looks like i will become a better cook?
i made this kootu today and it was finger licking good. passed the test set by my husband. thanks jeyashri.
Tried this. Added Jeera also in the "To Grind" list. Was very tasty. Thanks for posting this.