Ponga Kuzhambu
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| pumpkin-parangikai |
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| ash gourd-pooshanikai |
Ingredients
- 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
Soak in warm water and extract the essence till you get about 2 cups of tamarind juice.
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 bit of jaggery
Vegetables
- 1 slab of white gourd or yellow pumpkin
Peel the gourd/pumpkin and cut into medium sized cubes.
For the masala
- 2 tbsps coriander seeds (dhaniya)
- 5 red chillies (Kashmiri or Badigai)
- 1 tsp.tuvar dal (thuvaram paruppu)
- 1 tsp. channa dal (kadalai paruppu)
- 1 tsp. urad dal (ulutham paruppu)
- 1 tsp. sesame (til, white yellu)
- 1 small bit of asafoetida
- 2 tbsps grated coconut (optional)
- 1 tsp of oil/ghee
Roast all the above ingredients till you get the aroma of the roasted ingredients.
Cool and grind into a fine powder.
Keep aside.
Method of preparation.
- Boil the ash gourd/pumpkin than in the tamarind extract with a little turmeric and salt.
- When the than has cooked well, add the ground masala and stir well.
- Let it simmer on the stove for a few minutes till you get a smooth consistency.
- Add a bit of jaggery and stir.
- Switch off the stove.
Tempering
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds
- 1 red chilli
- 1/2 asafoetida powder
- A few curry leaves
- A tsp. of ghee
- Temper the ponga kuzhambu with mustard seeds, chilli, asafoetida, curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice.
