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Poosanikai Mor Kootu Recipe featured by top US instant pot, Cooking with Pree: Image of poosanikai mor kootu (ashgourd curry with yogurt, cumin and coconut)
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Poosanikai mor kootu | Ashgourd coconut and yogurt curry
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

This south Indian style yogurt based curry with ashgourd / white pumpkin is mildly spiced and goes well with rice and a spicy gravy.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: South Indian
Keyword: instant pot
Servings: 3
Author: cookingwithpree
Ingredients
Ingredients
  • 3 cups White pumpkin/ ash gourd cubed in somewhat big chunks
  • 1 tbsp chana dhal
  • 1 tbsp rice flour
  • 1 cup yogurt/curd (preferably slightly tangy yogurt)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 cup grated coconut
  • 2-3 green chillies or as per taste
To temper:
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp urad dhal
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
Normal Method:

  1. Boil the cubed white pumpkin with chana dhal until the vegetable is cooked well and becomes soft with 1/4 cup water. (Do not add too much water while boiling as the pumpkin gives out water and the dish will become very watery). The chana dhal is supposed to have a little bite to it. It gives the dish some texture.

  2. Grind the coconut, cumin and green chillies with a little water and make a paste

  3. Mix the ground mixture, rice flour and curd together in a bowl.

  4. Add the above mixture and required salt to the boiled veggies and chana dhal and let it boil for 3-5 minutes in low- medium flame.

  5. To temper, heat the coconut oil and when it becomes hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dhal and let the mustard seeds pop. Add the tempering to the kootu and mix.  The kootu is ready to be served.

Instant pot method:

  1. Grind the coconut, cumin, green chillies, rice flour, 2 tbsp yogurt to a smooth paste. Set it aside. Let it be a thick paste as we dont want to add more water than necessary

  2. Switch on the saute mode in your instant pot. Add the coconut oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the items mentioned under "to temper".

  3. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chana dal, ashgourd, salt as needed and switch off the saute mode immediately.

  4. Add 1/2 cup water along the sides of the inner vessel and add the ground paste on top of the veggies.

  5. Now close the lid and cook on manual high for 0 minutes.

  6. Release pressure immediately. (switch off the keep warm mode) Add the remaining yogurt after 6 to 7 minutes and mix well.

  7. Serve with rice/ adais.

Recipe Notes

If the yogurt you add is very watery like buttermilk, reduce the amount of water you add in the recipe, so that you dont end up with a runny curry. Remember the ashgourd will also release some water while it gets cooked.