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Home » Side Dishes » Kootu

Published: Feb 28, 2015 · Modified: Jan 7, 2021 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Poosanikkai Kootu – White Pumpkin Kootu – Ash Gourd Kootu

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This Poosanikkai kootu or White Pumpkin Kootu is made the traditional South Indian way by cooking the vegetable in tamarind juice and then flavoring it with spices. Ash Gourd Kootu can be a good side for traditional white rice as lunch or dinner

Poosanikkai Kootu in a pan

Poosanikkai, also known as ash gourd is the new found happiness for our family. After our move to South, I can very easily find this vegetable in the local Indian or Asian markets and I have been cooking marathons with this vegetable.

Back in the North East where this vegetable was not available quite readily, I used Chow – chow (Chayote squash) as the substitute.

There are several different types of kootu/stew that can be made, but few days back I had come across this recipe where the author had cooked it with garbanzo beans/chickpeas.

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We love channa (garbanzo beans/chick peas) and use it often in our house. My older son especially loves channa and I try to make it often for him.

One of the most made recipes with chickpeas, apart from chole masala would be this quick channa chaat that I make for him as an evening snack.

This Ash Gourd kootu is made the traditional South Indian way by cooking the vegetable in tamarind juice and then flavoring it with spices.

Preparation time – 10 minutes
Cooking time – 40 minutes
Difficulty level – easy
Recipe adapted from – Padhu’s Kitchen

Poosanikkai Kootu in a pan wih curry leaves

Ingredients to make Poosanikkai Kootu – serves 4

  • Poosinikkai / white pumpkin / ash gourd – 3 cups (diced into ½ inch cubes)
  • Tuvaram paruppu / Toor Dal – ⅓ cup
  • Tamarind – a small lime size piece
  • Chick peas/ channa / Kondaikadalai – 1 can (14 oz) or about a handful of dry ones (optional)
  • Sambhar powder – ½ tsp
  • Salt – to taste

To roast and grind –

  • Kadalai paruppu / Bengal gram dal – 2 tbsp
  • Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
  • Ullutham paruppu / urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Red chilies – 4 or 5
  • Coconut – ¼ cup (grated)
  • Oil – 1 tsp

For seasoning the Poosanikkai Kootu –

  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Ullutham paruppu – 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Asafetida – a pinch
  • Oil – 1 tsp
Ash Gourd Kootu serving in a pan

Procedure to make White Pumpkin Kootu –

  • Wash and cook the Tuvaram paruppu / toor dal in a pressure cooker until soft and mushy. Add a pinch of turmeric powder when cooking the dal.
  • If using dry chick peas, soak it overnight in enough water and cook it also in the cooker along with the toor dal.
  • Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract its pulp. Squeeze it one more time and remove the juice.
  • Fry the ingredients mentioned under ‘to roast and grind’ in 1 teaspoon of oil. When it cools down a bit, grind it to a paste and keep it aside.
Cooking and blending the spices
  • Wash, peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes. Add this to the pan along with the extracted tamarind pulp. Make sure that the tamarind extract covers the vegetable, if not add more water to cover the vegetable. Also add the cooked or the canned chick peas to this along with salt and sambhar powder and let it come to a boil over medium flame.
Cooking the vegetables
  • Let the vegetable cook well and then add the ground paste. Mix well and then add the cooked tuvar dal.
Cooking with water
  • Let Poosanikkai Kootu come to a gentle boil and then simmer for few minutes.
  • Heat a small pan with 1 teaspoon of oil and then add the seasoning ingredients. Add it to the simmering White Pumpkin kootu and mix well. Turn off the flame and serve hot with rice and a dollop of ghee.
Giving tadka
White Pumpkin Kootu is ready

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

Poosinikkai Kootu

Poosanikkai Kootu – White Pumpkin Kootu - Ash Gourd Kootu

This Poosanikkai kootu or White Pumpkin Kootu is made the traditional South Indian way by cooking the vegetable in tamarind juice and then flavoring it with spices. Ash Gourd Kootu can be a good side for traditional white rice as lunch or dinner
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Course: dinner, Lunch Recipes
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian, Tamil Nadu
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

  • pan

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Poosinikkai / white pumpkin/ash gourd Diced into ½ inch cubes
  • ⅓ cup Tuvaram paruppu / Toor Dal
  • lime size piece Tamarind
  • 1 can Chickpeas/ channa / Kondaikadalai 14 oz or about a handful of dry ones (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon Sambhar powder
  • to taste Salt

TO ROAST AND GRIND –

  • 2 tbsp. Kadalai paruppu / Bengal gram dal
  • 1 tbsp. Coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Ullutham paruppu / urad dal
  • 4 Red chilies
  • ¼ cup Coconut Grated
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

FOR SEASONING –

  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Ullutham paruppu
  • few Curry leaves - few
  • a pinch Asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

Instructions

  • Wash and cook the Tuvaram paruppu / toor dal in a pressure cooker until soft and mushy. Add a pinch of turmeric powder when cooking the dal.
  • If using dry chickpeas, soak it overnight in enough water and cook it also in the cooker along with the toor dal.
  • Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract its pulp. Squeeze it one more time and remove the juice.
  • Fry the ingredients mentioned under ‘to roast and grind’ in 1 teaspoon of oil. When it cools down a bit, grind it to a paste and keep it aside.
  • Wash, peel, and chop the pumpkin into small cubes. Add this to the pan along with the extracted tamarind pulp. Make sure that the tamarind extract covers the vegetable, if not add more water to cover the vegetable. Also add the cooked or the canned chick peas to this along with salt and sambhar powder and let it come to a boil over medium flame.
  • Let the vegetable cook well and then add the ground paste. Mix well and then add the cooked tuvar dal.
  • Let it come to a gentle boil and then simmer for a few minutes.
  • Heat a small pan with 1 teaspoon of oil and then add the seasoning ingredients. Add it to the simmering kootu and mix well. Turn off the flame and serve hot with rice and a dollop of ghee.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7562IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Divya says

    October 13, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    Tried this out and it was very delicious. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      October 13, 2019 at 7:08 pm

      Divya, thanks a lot for trying and letting me know! I am so glad you liked it.

      Reply

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I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

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