White Pumpkin Kootu | Vellai Poosanikai Kootu | Ash Gourd Stew Recipe | Startup Cooking

 WHITE PUMPKIN KOOTU | 

STARTUP COOKING

White Pumpkin kootu is a simple South Indian recipe made with bengal gram dal, pumpkin and grated coconut. White pumpkin is also known as "Vellai Poosanikai" in Tamil. It is also called as Ash Gourd. This recipe is so simple, healthy and easy to make. Kootu is a semi solid curry and goes well with rice, roti and chapathi. 

This white pumpkin is available only in Asian super market. This recipe is usually made in all South Indian Kitchen and considered to be very healthy recipe. We can replace white pumpkin with ridge gourd, chayote, bottle gourd or drumstick leaves. 

I used pressure cooker method to cook bengal gram dal to speed up the process, but you can also cook this kootu in open pot method too. Kootu is cooked with minimal or no spices and it always completes the vegetarian meals. Follow my step by step photo recipe to prepare Vellai Poosanikai Kootu. If you like this recipe, share it, tweet it and pin it. Please do try and post your comments.

Kootu Collection List

• chow chow kootu

• pudalangai kootu

• avarakkai kootu

• pumpkin kootu

• drumstick leaves stew

RECIPE FOR WHITE PUMPKIN KOOTU

Coarse        : Lunch 

Cuisine       : South Indian

Author        : Jayashree Karthik 

Prep Time   : 10 min

Cook Time  : 20 min

Total Time   : 30 min

Try my other South Indian kuzhambu recipes

• Karamani kuzhambu

• Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu

• Murungai keerai kootu

• Sundakkai vathal Kuzhambu

• Vegetable kurma

• Pavakkai puli kuzhambu

• Eggplant peanut coconut curry

• Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

INGREDIENTS

• 300g ash gourd (white pumpkin)

• 1/4 cup bengal gram dal

• salt to taste

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For Grinding

• 1/3 cup grated coconut

• 2 green chilli

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp raw rice

For Seasoning

• 1 tsp oil

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 red chilli

• 1 spring curry leaves

PROCEDURE

• soak bengal gram dal in water for 15 minutes and then pressure cook for 1-2 whistle or until it turns soft

• cut the white pumpkin into medium sized cubes

• cook pumpkin bites in a large sauce pot with enough water

• cook on medium flame until the pumpkin is soft

• in a mixer grinder, add grated coconut, green chilli, cumin seeds and raw rice

• grind to a smooth paste with little water and set aside

• once pumpkin turns soft, add cooked bengal gram dal, turmeric powder and salt

• mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes in medium flame

• add ground coconut paste, mix well and cook for 1 minute and switch off the flame

• for seasoning, add a tsp of oil in a pan

• temper with mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves

• add into the kootu and mix well

• vellai poosanikai kootu is ready

• serve with hot steamed rice or poondu kuzhambu or with chapathi

• tastes good 😊

NOTES

• do not over cook the pumpkin or else it may turn out mushy
• replace bengal gram dal with toor dal or with moong dal
• instead of pumpkin, you can also use ridge gourd, chayote, bottle gourd, etc.,
• this is gluten free and no onion no garlic recipe.

Check here for more kuzhambu recipes, drumstick leaves recipes, INDIAN RICE RECIPES, PANEER RECIPES, SPINACH RECIPES, MUSHROOM RECIPES.

White Pumpkin Kootu With Step By Step 

Photo Recipe

cut white pumpkin into cubes

add into the large sauce pot with enough water

cook on medium flame until it turns soft

pumpkin cooked well

soak bengal gram dal in water for 15 minutes

place the bowl in the pressure cooker

pressure cook for 1-2 whistle

add cooked dal into the cooked pumpkin along with 

turmeric powder and salt

mix well

cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes

in the meanwhile, add grated coconut, green chilli, cumin seeds 

and raw rice

grind to a smooth paste with little water

add into the cooked pumpkin and dal

mix well

cook for 1 minute and switch off the flame

temper mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves in a tsp of oil 

and add into the kootu

mix well

serve hot with rice and chapathi

Vellai Poosanikai Kootu