Mathanga Pulissery | Ash gourd Mor Curry | Thadiyankai Mor Kuzhambu

Mathanga Pulissery, a delicious and creamy curd based curry from Kerala.For this week of Mega BM, i have chosen the theme "No garlic & No onion" foods. In Ayurveda and in few religions, onions and garlic are considered as more of medicine than a food, so still they avoid cooking with onions & garlic. 

But in our cooking, onions and garlic are the integral ingredients and i almost use them for every meal on daily basis, hence i had chosen this theme as challenge and was searching for some authentic "No onions & No garlic" recipe. To my surprise, there are quite a lot of recipes that doesn't need both the ingredients !!! Ok, let's start off this theme with creamy mathanga pulissery.

Pulissery is usually prepared with the vegetables like ash gourd, ripe mango & cucumber or sometimes even without any vegetables. Here in the recipe i have used ash gourd and it turned out so delicious, we had it with rice and parippu vada, this combination is our family favorite. Pulissery is quite similar to the mor kuzhamabu in Tamilnadu with little variation here and there. 

Mathanga Pulissery

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Mathanga Pulissery, Ash gourd Mor Curry, Thandiyankai Mor Kuzhambu Mathanga Pulissery, a delicious and creamy curd based curry from Kerala.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Ash gourd -  1 cup(cubed)
Curd - 1 cup
Green chili - 3
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
To Grind
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
To Temper
Coconut oil -1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seed - 1/4 tsp
Red chili - 2 

Procedure

Cut the ash gourd into cubes, put into sauce pan and add enough water just to cook the ash gourd. Place it on heat and let it cook.

In the mean time, grind the green chili into coarse and keep it aside. Then add the ingredients listed under "To Grind" into mixie jar and grind into smooth paste.

Once the ash gourd is cooked and became soft, add the green chili, coconut paste and turmeric powder.

Mix it all together and add enough salt and water(if needed). Let it cook until the raw smell of chili & coconut leaves. Keep the flame in low. Take the curd and whisk it smooth.

Add the curd into ash gourd and mix it well. Let it simmer for 2 mins & switch off the flame. Temper the ingredients listed under "To temper" and add into the pulissery.

Quick and tasty Mathanga Pulissery is ready to serve. 

Related : How to make Pineapple Pulissery 

Notes:

• Adjust the green chili as per your taste.
• Sour curd tastes best, but if you don't like sour curd, you can use fresh curd too.
• Coconut oil gives great flavor to the curd, so highly recommend to use for tempering.
  

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Ash Gourd Curry | Thadiyangai Kootu | Vella Poosanikai Kootu

Thadiyangai Kootu, a delicious curry made from white pumpkin,chana dal,coconut masala & curd. It's one of the common dish in marriage feast in my native,Tirunelveli. It goes well with both sambar and kara kulmabu varieties.

White pumpkin/Thadiyangai is one of the few veggie i used to pick every time whenever we visit Indian store.It is the most versatile veggie that you can make sambar, kootu & pachadi with it.As i had already posted the recipe for sambar and pachadi, today i'm sharing the recipe for our family favorite thandiyagai kootu. If you haven't tried this recipe before, do give it a try. It's so tasty with wonderful coconut flavor.

Thadiyangai Kootu | Vella Poosanikai Kootu

Preparation Time : 20 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Thadiyangai Kootu, Vella Poosanikai Kootu,Poosanikai Kootu, Poosanikai Thayir Kootu,Ash gourd Kootu Thadiyangai Kootu, a delicious curry made from white pumpkin,chana dal,coconut masala & curd. It's one of the common dish in marriage feast in my native,Tirunelveli. It goes well with both sambar and kara kulmabu varieties.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Ash gourd(chopped)/Thadiyagai/Vella poosanigai - 1cup
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Curd - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch(optional)
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
To Grind
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Green Chili - 2
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1 pod
Pearl onion - 1 
To Temper
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Procedure

First cut the ash gourd into pieces, remove the seeds and peel the green skin.

Then cut the ash gourd into the thin strips and then cut into small pieces.Soak the channa dal for 20 mins.

Heat the kadai with half cup of water, add the soaked channa dal and bring into boil.

Once the dal is half cooked, add the chopped ash gourd,turmeric powder (if you're using. Sometimes i add turmeric powder and other times leave it out. What my step-step pics and finallt pics have color difference) & enough salt. Cover the kadai with lid & let the ash gourd to cook.

In the mean time, put all the ingredients listed under "To grind" into mixie jar and grind into smooth paste.

Once the ash gourd is cooked, add the coconut paste and bring the masala to boil. Let it boil since the raw smell leaves and then switch off the flame.Beat the curd smoothly.

And add into the ash gourd masala.Mix well with ash gourd. Temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add into kootu.

That's it, Tasty Ash gourd Kootu is ready. For more curries and veggie side dish, check out here 

Notes:

• Coconut oil gives great flavor to the curry, highly recommend to use it.
• Add the curd after switch off the flame, otherwise, there is a chance to curdle
• Use fresh curd for great taste.

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Ash Gourd Raita | Vellai Poosanikai Thayir Pachadi | Pachadi

Thadiyankai Thayir pachadi, a delicious accompaniment made from white pumpkin and curd.  It goes well with both sambar & kara kuzhambu varieties. It's such a simple dish to make within 15 mins. When we were in Houston, we invited our friends for pongal feast party at our home and i had prepared this thayir pachadi along with other varieties. Everyone at the party asked me about this thayir pachadi and told me how much they like it. Yep it's such a crowd pleaser recipe !!! If you haven't tried this before, do give it a try, it's such a delicious raita!! Now let's check how to make this thayir pachadi/raita

Vellai Poosanikai Thayir Pachadi

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Thadiyankai,Thayir Pachadi,Vella poosanikai Thayir Pachadi,Ash gourd Raita,Raita,Poosanikai Thayir Pachadi,White Pumpkin Thadiyankai Thayir pachadi, a delicious accompaniment made from white pumpkin and curd. It goes well with both sambar & kara kuzhambu varieties. It's such a simple dish to make within 15 mins.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Ash gourd/Thadiyankai/ Velllai posanikai - 1 cup (chopped)

Curd - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves - few
To Temper

Pearl onion - 2 

Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Green Chili -1

Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Procedure

Remove the skin & seeds from ash gourd and cut them into small pieces. Heat 1 cup water in a kadai, add the ash gourd into it along with pinch of salt.

Bring it to boil and allow the ash gourd to cook.It takes approximately 12 mins in medium flame. Once cooked, it became soft & translucent.

Drain the water completely and allow to cool. Once it cooled, put it in bowl along with curd & salt if needed.

Now temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add into ash gourd-curd mixture.Finally add few chopped coriander leaves and mix it well.

Tasty Thadiyankai Thayir pachadi is  ready. 

Notes:

• Drain the water completely from ash goud , before add into curd Otherwise it become watery.
• Use thick & non-sour curd for best taste.
• Highly recommended to use pearl onions & coconut oil for great flavor.
  

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