Boodida gummidikaya koora/ Ash gourd curry

With all the pumpkins and gourds around in season, I thought of posting an Andhra style curry with the Ashgourd also called "Boodida gummadi" in telugu. It is used in various dishes such as daals, sambhar, and even candies (called petha) in Indian cuisine. This simple and quick recipe here involves cooking ashgourd in tamarind sauce with grated coconut and is a yummy and light accompaniment with hot rice or rotis.

Ingredients:

Ashgourd quarter peeled and cut to small cubes

juice from a a small lemon sized ball of tamarind

2 chopped green pepper

1 tbsp grated jaggery

3 tbsp grated fresh or dry coconut

pinch of hing (asafoetida)
salt to taste

for tempering:

3 tsp oil

1 tbsp chana daal

1 tbsp urad daal

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp mustard

2 dried red pepper

1 tsp turmeric

few curry leaves

Method:

In a large pan heat oil for seasoning. Add  all the seasoning ingredients in order mentioned, ending with turmeric so it doesnt blacken. When seeds start to splutter add the curry leaves and chopped green pepper. Sprikle the seasoning with a pinch of hing. Now stir in the cut ashgourd pieces mix and cook with a cup of water.

When the gourd is slightly tender add the tamarind juice and cook until it looses the raw smell and starts to reduce and thicken.  now add the grated jaggery, adjust the salt and mix well. Stir in the grated coconut and take off the flame. The yummy hot and sour ashgourd curry is ready to serve. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot with steaming rice dish or rotis