Poosanikai Mor Kootu | Ashgourd Buttermilk Stew

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Poosanikai Mor Kootu is a delightful South Indian dish featuring vellai poosanikai (white pumpkin or ash gourd)simmered in a creamy coconut and buttermilk sauce. This vegetarian dish is perfect for those seeking a light and flavorful side dish or even a quick and healthy meal.

Key Features:

Simple and Easy: Made with minimal ingredients and requiring minimal prep time, this kootu comes together in under 30 minutes.
Flavorful Buttermilk Base: The tangy buttermilk adds a refreshing touch, perfectly complementing the creamy coconut and earthy ash gourd.
Healthy and Vegetarian: Packed with nutrients and naturally vegetarian, this dish is a great choice for those following a plant-based diet.
Versatile: Enjoy Poosanikai Mor Kootu with rice, lentil crepes (adai), or savor it on its own for a light and satisfying meal.

Table of Contents

Tips and Tricks:

Choosing the Ash Gourd:

Select a firm and heavy ash gourd for the best texture. Avoid ones with blemishes or soft spots.
Peel the ash gourd and remove the seeds. Chop into into slightly bigger cubes.

Cooking the Ash Gourd:

Don't overcook the ash gourd. Aim for a tender but slightly firm texture.
Use minimal water while cooking the ash gourd. This vegetable releases water as it cooks, so adding too much water can make the kootu watery.
You can pressure cook the ash gourd for a few minutes to speed up the process. However, be careful not to overcook it.

The Coconut Masala:

Toast the coconut flakes lightly before grinding them. This enhances their flavor.
You can adjust the spice level of the masala by adding more or less green chilies.

Adding the Yogurt:

Use fresh, full-fat yogurt for the best results. Whisk it well before adding it to the kootu if you are not grinding with coconut.
Don't boil the kootu after adding the yogurt. This can cause the yogurt to curdle. Simply heat it through on low heat.

Additional Tips:

For a thicker consistency, you can add a tablespoon of cooked chana dal (split chickpea) to the kootu.
If your yogurt is very watery, adjust the water content while cooking the ash gourd to avoid a runny final dish.
Tempering with mustard seeds and curry leaves adds a nice finishing touch. Use coconut oil for a richer flavor.
Experiment with other vegetables like chayote squash, snake gourd, or even chopped bottle gourd for a variation.
Poosanikai Mor Kootu tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make a big batch!

You can also try:

Pudalangai Pal Kootu - Paal Kootu is a stew made with a vegetable along with milk and coconut paste. Usually yellow pumpkin (Parangikai) is used to make the Paal Kootu. But we can also use Snakegourd (Pudalangkai) to make this kootu. It tastes good when served with vethakozhumbu or any Rasam.
Brinjal Pitlai: Kathirikai Pitlai, a traditional recipe in Tamil Brahmin kitchen. Its a thick gravy made with Brinjal cooked in tangy tamarind juice along with freshly ground coconut and spices. Kathirikai Pitlai is usually served as a mix with hot steaming rice. We can make the pitlai thick and serve as a kootu too
Vendakkai Puli Kootu: Vendakkai Puli Kootu, a traditional kootu made with ladies finger, tamarind and mild spices. This kootu is a perfect accompaniment for any Rasam or Thogayal varieties.
Radish Peanut Kootu: Radish is very good for health and radish helps to reduce severe cold. We can make many different recipes with Radish. One delicious South Indian Recipe is this Radish Kootu. Its a simple and yummy stew made with chopped radish, peanuts, moong dal and coconut spice paste.

Instructions with Step by Step Pictures:

Soak 1 teaspoon Raw Ricein water for at least 15 minutes.
Place ¼ kgs Ashgourd (White Pumpkin)(cubed) in a pan, add 1 cup of water, and bring it to a boil. Avoid adding more water initially, as the ash gourd will release water while cooking. Additional water can be added later if needed. Add 1 teaspoon Salt (adjust to your taste) and mix well.
While the ash gourd is cooking, prepare the ground masala for the stew. In a mixer grinder, combine the soaked raw rice, ½ cup Grated Coconut, 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds, 2 nos Green Chiliand ¼ cup Curd (Plain Yogurt). Grind these ingredients into a smooth paste.
Check if the ash gourd is cooked by trying to mash a piece with a spoon. If it is still firm, it needs more time to cook. Allow it to simmer for a few more minutes. Typically, it takes about 15 minutes for the ash gourd to cook over medium flame. Once the ash gourd is cooked, add the ground coconut yogurt paste and mix well. Adjust the consistency of the stew by adding more water if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add a 1 sprig Curry leaves, break it, and add it to enhance the flavor of the stew.

TEMPERING

Heat a pan and add 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil, preferably coconut oil. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon Mustard seedsand allow them to splutter. Also, add 1 tablespoon Split Urad Dal, 1 tablespoon Split Bengal Gram (Channa Dal / Kadalaparuppu), and 1 sprig Curry leaves. Fry over medium flame until the dals turn golden brown.