Ash Gourd / Vellai poosanikai Sambar

Sambar can be made with any type of  vegetable.Now  you are going to see sambar with Ash Gourd/vellai poosanikai. Sambar is a easy recipe to prepare ,if some guest come home suddenly. Sambar is one goes well with rice,tiffin varieties and also with starter recipes.This Ash Gourd is called by different names like winter squash. Ash Gourd is rich in moisture and contains small amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, besides calcium, phosphorous, iron, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin C.

Ingredients:

• Ash Gourd /Vellai poosanikai -1 medium size
• Toor dal - 1 cup
• Tamarind - half lemon size
• Onion (small Pearl onion or regular) - less than 1/4 cup (Cut lengthwise)
• Tomato -medium sized  
• Green chillies -2 medium        
• Sesame oil -2 tbsp
• Mustard -1/4 tbsp
• Garlic -3 pods
• Curry leaves -1 spring                                
• Turmeric pwd-1/4 tbsp
• Sambar powder (home made or store bought) - 1 tbsp (based on spicy level)
• Salt to taste
• Castor oil-2 drops
• Fresh coriander leaves 

Method:

1. Take a pressure cooker; add washed toor dal,garlic tomato and 2 drops of castor oil.
2. Pressure cooks it for 1 or 2 whistles and keeps it aside.
3. Soak the tamarind in water for 30 minutes and extract the juice.
4. Cut ash gourd into cubes and keep it aside.
5. Take a pan, heat sesame oil and add mustard, wait to crackel.
6. Add onion, curry leaves, ash gourd and green chili, sauté nicely to light brown.
7. Add sambar powder and fry for a minute without burning it.
8. Add 2 cup of water and allow it to boil in medium flame, till the raw powder smell goes.
9. Then pour the tamarind sauce, turmeric powder and boil till its raw smell goes
10. Add the cooked toor dal and needed water and salt .Bring to boil and see the ash gourd is cooked. Finally check for salt.
11. Let it boil for 3 min, check for consistency. (sambar shouldn’t be too thick or watery).
12. Remove from flame and keep aside.
13. Garnish with above fried mixture and freshly chopped coriander leaves.
14. Goes well with rice , idly,dosa etc..