Poosanikkai Puli Kootu / Puli Kootu Recipe / Tangy Ash gourd & Lentils Curry

Today's recipe is a south Indian traditional recipe, very healthy and filling side dish made using lentils and ash gourd. This is a tamarind based curry and i first time tried this recipe from Vardhini's CooksJoy. This recipe was recommended to me by my sister who is one of Vardhini's follower :) We usually make kootu without tamarind and i had already posted a 3 different version of koottu. This Puli kottu is entirely different from my family version and so my sister wanted to try this recipe using cluster beans as per the original recipe. And it was liked by her family members and she recommended me to try this kootu. So without any second thought I tried this puli kootu with poosanikkai and it turned out so good, even my little one liked it with rice. Thanks Vardhini for this yummy recipe, we loved it!

This kootu recipe is so simple and made using freshly roasted n ground masala cooked in tamarind water then lastly tempered. Such a comfort and delicious side dish with rice n papad. This was the picture which I mentioned in my previous post, I know the pics weren't that great as I wanted to present, but I was not able to concentrate much on photography as my fingers were started to ache due to minus degrees,  felt my fingers got frozen and can't do anything further, so hurried up getting things and went inside, while closing the door my fingers got stuck between the patio doors, it was so painful no words to describe :( Sure a recipe to remember forever :) 

Ingredients
For Kootu

1. Ash gourd     2 cups(chopped)
2. Channa Dal    1/4 cup (cooked)
3. Onion    1 small(finely chopped)
4. Tamarind paste      1 tbsp(dissolved in 1/2 cup of water)
5. Salt    to taste
6. Cilantro     few (to garnish)

To Roast & Grind Masala

1. Oil     1/4 tsp
2. Chana dal     2 tsp
3. Urad dal     1 tsp
4. Tuvar dal/Toor dal    1 tsp
5. Dry Red chilli      2 no.s
6. Coriander seeds    1 tbsp
7. Jeera     1/2 tsp
8. Coconut     1/4 cup(shredded)

To Temper

1. Oil     1-2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds   1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves     1 sprig
5. Dry red chilli     1 no.(broken)

Method

• Wash and cook channa dal with enough water till tender and soft, not mushy. Then drain the excess water and keep the cooked dal aside.

• Heat 1/4 tsp oil in a pan, roast all the ingredients (from chana dal -jeera)except coconut till light golden brown n flavor comes. 
• After that allow the spices to cool down then grind it to a fine coarse paste along with coconut using little water and keep aside.

• Now bring tamarind water(sprinkle turmeric powder) to boil once it starts boiling add ash gourd and onions and cook till its half cooked.
• Then add ground masala paste stir fry for 2 minutes then add cooked dal and little water, enough salt and bring it to boil or cook until the spices blend well with the tamarind water n vegetables.

• Once done, switch off the stove and heat oil in tempering pan add the tempering ingredients one by one and wait till it splutter then add it to the puli kootu, mix well and garnish with cilantro.
• That's it...Tangy & Yummy Poosanikkai Puli Kootu Ready.

Notes:
With the same recipe, instead of ash gourd u can also use cluster beans, chow chow, snake gourd, raw banana, etc.