Skip to main content

Ash Gourd Mor Kuzhambu - Vellai Poosanikai Mor Kuzhambu - Kuzhambu Varieties

Ash Gourd Mor Kuzhambu - an easy kuzhambu that's ready in 20 minutes. Different types of mor kuzhambu are a significant part of the Tamil Nadu and Kerala food culture. This ash gourd mor kuzhambu is one of the popular dishes in mor kuzhambu varieties. 


How to make it

1. Cooking the ash gourd

Start with cutting the ash gourd into cubes. We need to exert some energy to peel and slice if you are using a whole ash gourd. If you are using precut slices, just remove the seeds and slowly peel the outer skin and cut them into small cubes. Add some water and cook the ash gourds until soft.

2. How to prepare coconut paste 

In the meantime, prepare the base mixture for the mor kuzhambu. This coconut paste is what is responsible for giving the particular colour and flavour to this kuzhambu. I will always suggest grinding it with fresh grated coconut. For this magic coconut paste you would require small onions, garlic cloves, ginger, green chilly, cumin, turmeric powder and soaked toor dal. Instead of soaked toor dal you can use roasted gram dal too. You just have to grind all the above ingredients smoothly. Some prefer to add coriander seeds in the coconut paste. You can add it if you like it but do not add more than half a teaspoon. 

3. How to make buttermilk 

Whenever you make mor kuzhambu, make sure to use slightly tangy homemade buttermilk to get the authentic taste. Do not use low fat milk for preparing curd. I typically use full cream milk because it gives a good consistency for mor kuzhambu. For 500ml boiled full cream milk add 25ml curd. Stir the mixture well, then set aside for 6 to 8 hours. After 8 hours the final texture should appear with little water separated at the top with light curdling. Stir the curd with the wooden churner or gently beat the curd in a mixer jar 5 minutes before preparing the kuzhambu. No need to add any water while beating the curd because it makes the kuzhambu watery. 

As I said above, you should make the coconut paste without skipping any ingredients. The typical taste of the mor kuzhambu is the addition of this paste. For the buttermilk too, if using store bought curd, beat the curd thickly without adding any water and not thinly.  Now let's see how to prepare Ash Gourd mor kuzhambu with step-by-step instructions. 

Follow these easy steps to make the best mor kuzhambu in just 20 minutes. 


Check out my other Kuzhambu recipes

Here is the video link for Ash Gourd Mor Kuzhambu



Ash Gourd Mor Kuzhambu - Vellai Poosanikai Mor Kuzhambu Recipe Details

Prep time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes
Serves : 3
Category : kuzhambu


Ingredients 

  • 1 cup ash gourd cubes
  • 1 cup thick curd
  • 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut 
  • 4 small onions
  •  3 garlic cloves 
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 2 green chilli 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp soaked toor dal
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric 
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida water
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek 
  • 1 dry red chilly
  • 1/2 tsp mustard and urid dal
  • 1 tbsp chopped small onions
  • few curry leaves 
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil 

Cooking Directions 

1. Take a wide vessel and add the ash gourd cubes. Add 1 cup water close and cook the ash gourds on low medium heat. Check in between and keep turning the ash gourd cubes so it cooks evenly on all sides. Once they are cooked (the ash gourd cubes still have a bit of crunch) turn off the heat and keep aside. 



2. Take a small mixer jar and add 1/4 cup coconut, 4 small onions, 3 garlic cloves, 2 green chilli, ginger, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tbsp soaked toor dal and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Add 3 tbsp water and grind it to a smooth paste.


3. Take 1 cup thick curd and beat it until smooth. Do not add any water now. Pour the buttermilk into the thick bottomed vessel or kadai. Then add the prepared coconut paste along with 1/4 cup water. Add required salt for the kuzhambu. Add asafoetida powder or water and mix thoroughly. 



4. Heat 1/4 tsp oil in a pan and temper with 1/4 tsp fenugreek and 1 dry red chilly. When the fenugreek turns golden brown, quickly add broken red chilly and add it to the prepared buttermilk mixture.


5. Now keep the kadai on low heat and cook the kuzhambu for 4 minutes. You can see a creamy froth layer starting from the sides of the kadai to its centre. At this stage, immediately turn off the heat. Do not over boil because the kuzhambu might curdle and it turns watery. 


6. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add 1/2 tsp mustard and urid dal. Allow them to crackle and add curry leaves and 1 tbsp chopped small onions. Fry the onions, until soft and then add it to the kuzhambu.

7.  Add the cooked ash gourd cubes and mix gently. Transfer the kuzhambu to the serving dish. Do not close it with a lid for 5 to 10 minutes. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Paneer Masala - 15 minute Paneer Gravy - Easy Paneer Masala

Quick Paneer Masala - this homemade restaurant style paneer masala is one of my most frequently made gravy recipes. It's perfect with chapathi, poori, nann and also for pulao varieties. Fresh tomatoes help to  make the best gravy, especially when you use red ripe tomatoes. What makes this quick paneer masala easy to make and why it calls for 15 minute gravy is because instead of pureeing the tomatoes, it's made with ground tomato paste. For paneer butter masala, we blanch the tomatoes and then made into puree. But I want to prepare a quick gravy with simple process. During the summer season, I like to prepare gravy and sambar with a shortcut.This quick paneer masala is one of the best 15 minute gravy recipes for beginners and also for busy mothers. I am actually really excited about this gravy because this paneer masala is made without any artificial colours, fresh cream. It has a delicious flavour with a smooth, creamy gravy.    Tips for the best Paneer masala Use fresh ...

Collection of Poriyal & Thoran - South Indian Vegetable Side Dishes for Lunch

Every day we prepare two varieties of vegetable side dishes for our lunch. Among those two varieties there must be a poriyal dish and the other one is kootu, aviyal or varuval. Varieties of poriyal  dishes are countless with our seasonal vegetables. As I said in my poriyal or thuvaram dishes, we add the ground coconut mixture prepared with coconut, small onions, garlic cloves and red chilly or green chilly. This unique coconut paste is often used in our poriyal or thuvaram dishes. Some prefer to add grated coconut or desiccated coconut powder for poriyal dishes. I actually don't like poriyal dishes made without any flavours. For me, poriyal must have a mix of flavours with perfect textures. We usually precook the vegetables in a vessel (except for keerai poriyal) and then we saute it with the tempering ingredients and finished with our coconut mixture. If you find it difficult to precook the vegetables, you can prepare as you like. But actually pre cooking the ...

Street Style Sundal Masala Recipe - Perfect Evening Snack - Vandikadai Sundal Masala

Cozy up with a warm and comforting bowl of street style sundal masala, perfect for the winter season. This flavorful evening snack is made with a combination of green and yellow peas, cooked in an aromatic gravy. To prepare this dish, soak the peas for 7-9 hours, then pressure cook until soft. The magic lies in the ground masala, featuring onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Add a blend of chilly powder, kuzhambu chilly powder, and garam masala powder to elevate the flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of chat masala and a garnish of chopped onions, grated carrot, and coriander leaves. Now let's see the detailed recipe to prepare this mouthwatering Sundal Masala gravy.  Check out my other Evening Snacks Recipes Vazhaikkai (Plantain) Bajji  Cauliflower Fry    Nullikai urundai - Urid dal balls Kara Vadai -  Pattani Paruppu (Yellow Split Peas) Bonda Sabudana Vada -  Javarisi Vadai Ulundha Vada  Tapioca Bonda  Urad dal Bonda...

Street Style Vegetable Fried Rice - Quick Recipe of Veg Fried Rice Street Food Style

Today we are going to see an interesting street style vegetable fried rice with simple cooking techniques. For the past twenty years, vegetable fried rice and pani puri have been a favourite food for many of us. Everywhere we can see, these two dishes are the stars of the street food. One day during our trip to Tirumala, I learnt this street style vegetable fried rice from a street food vendor. He prepared varieties of fried rice within a few minutes, very casually. As he was preparing, I saw exactly how it was done. There's something magical about eating hot fried rice on the streets.The sound of the street vendors tossing the tang tang with their wok is always enjoyable to me. How to make street style vegetable fried rice in your home kitchen  You can use basmati rice or long grain rice. Always prefer the open pot method to cook the rice for fried rice. The texture will be perfect with less stickiness. Brands such as Unity and India Gate are perfect for fried rice.  You can ...

Tirunelveli Kootanchoru - Mixed vegetables rice with dals and spices

Kootanchoru is a popular lunch dish from Tirunelveli. This is our family favourite rice and it is rich in nutrients as it contains lots of vegetables and dals. We prepare this rice frequently for special events and family get togethers.  In most of Tirunelveli dishes we use small onions, garlic, coconut and generous amount of jeera. In this dish also we have used coconut small onion paste and good amount of fresh vegetables. We add commonly used vegetables such as raw banana, brinjals, drumsticks, carrots, beans and potatoes. I have learned this recipe from my grandma. She taught me with her some useful tips and techniques about how to cook, when to add the ingredients and how to choose the correct vegetables. My son named as Tirunelveli biriyani for this rice.  Now let's see how to prepare this kootanchoru with step by step photos.   Here is a short video for Tirunelveli Kootanchoru

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - Low Calorie Side Dish Recipes

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - another low calorie side dish for chapathi and rice. You can prepare this healthy side dish within 10 minutes. Last year during lockdown I prepared many sabji recipes for the Aval Vikatan magazine. This carrot capsicum stir fry is also one among those dishes and l often prepare this stir fry for our dinner. In addition to carrot and capsicum, you can also add boiled cauliflower, potato and broccoli. The crushed cumin pepper powder gives a nice flavour to this dish. There is no need for any other extra masala powders for this recipe. Made with a few simple ingredients and this will be your favourite 10 minute side dish. If you cook the capsicums correctly, it brings out their unique flavour and you can absolutely enjoy this dish as a salad. If you don't crush the cumin pepper you can also add chat masala powder.  Check out my other low calorie recipes here Low calorie Black Chana Masala Sprouts and Mushroom Dal Green Moong Dal Sabji Easy Dal Dal Fry  ...

Wheat Rava Kichadi With Vegetables - Samba Godhuma Rava Kichadi - Healthy Breakfast

A healthy diabetic friendly kichadi recipe made with wheat rava. You can start your breakfast with a cup of this healthy kichadi as it includes carrot, green peas and beans which blend together beautifully with wheat rava. A handful of fresh green peas gives a slightly sweet taste for the kichadi.  There are two main varieties of wheat rava - medium coarse and fine coarse. Fine coarse wheat rava is my favourite for kichadi and upma dishes. Medium coarse wheat rava is perfect for sweet pongal and payasam. Both types require more time to cook when compared to regular white rava. Fine coarse wheat rava doesn't need to be roasted for this kichadi. To cook 1 cup fine coarse wheat rava you will need 3 cups of water. After preparing the kichadi you should let it stand for 15 minutes, covered and undisturbed for a perfect fluffy texture. And once you find how to cook wheat rava perfectly, you will be making it regularly for your breakfast.  Check out my other tiffin recipes here Idli ...

White Pumpkin (Ash gourd) Kootu | Vellai Poosanikai Kootu

White pumpkin(ash gourd) in Tamil it is called as thadiyangai or vellai poosani. White pumpkin is popular in South Indian foods and widely used in kootu, sambar and patchadi. This white pumpkin kootu is a traditional dish in Tirunelveli. White pumpkin kootu is cooked with coconut paste and chana dal.   This kootu is a best choice to pair with sambar and pulikuzhambu . Just like my other kootu varieties, I recommend to cook in a deep vessel with frequent stirs. This method gives you the perfect results rather than pressure cooking. Here are my other kootu recipes Here is a short video for White Pumpkin Kootu Raw papaya kootu Yellow pumpkin kootu Chayote kootu Paruppu keerai kootu Manathakkali keerai kootu

Broccoli Capsicum Sabji - Side dish for roti, nann & rice

Broccoli and capsicum Sabji - a super tasy side dish with broccoli made with our spices. After eating stir fried broccoli at Chinese restaurants, I tried making dishes with broccoli using our masalas and spices. Broccoli is not a favourite vegetable for many of us, but you have to include it because of its health benefits. But if you cook the broccoli perfectly, it tastes really  good.

Semi Ripe Papaya Stir Fry - Pappalikkai Puttu (Poriyal)

This stir fry is prepared with shredded semi ripe papaya. This stir fry is easy to make within 10 minutes. This stir fry is similar to carrot puttu and beetroot puttu.    Semi ripe papaya is light orange in colour with a crisp texture and it has a very mild flavour. The shredded papaya is flavoured with green chillies, onions and finally garnished with fresh coconut. The semi raw papayas are peeled and the innermost white layers are removed along with their tiny seeds. Then they are cut into halves or quarters and  grate it using a slightly thick grater. After grating, we have to saute with mustard, chillies, onions and curry leaves. For this puttu dishes, like carrot puttu and beetroot puttu, the grated vegetables will need to be sauted first for an extra few minutes and then close and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. No water is required for this stir fry. Simply close and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. A handful of freshly grated coconut adds a beautiful colour and taste to t...