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Ash-Gourd Kootu (Winter Melon)

| March 7, 2013 Comment

ash-gourd kootu

Ash-Gourd Kootu is a South Indian lentil soup with winter melon and pinto beans. If you’re in the mood for a warm vegetable soup, you’ll like this easy vegetarian and vegan recipe.

The pinto beans and lentils provide a lot of the protein, fiber, and nutrition you need and can be part of a low-cholesterol diet.

Beans and lentils are both high in protein and fiber and low in fat, and combined with ash gourd which has no fat, this bean-lentil-vegetable dish provides healthy nutrition.

Servings: 4-6
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup toor dal (split red gram)
  • Turmeric powder, a pinch
  • 1 cup of ash gourd, cut into small cubes
  • 1 can of canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 green chillies, slit and cut in half
  • Salt to taste

For Masala

  • 1 1/2 tsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
  • 1 tsp toor dal
  • 1 tsp dhania (corinder seeds)
  • 5-6 red chillies
  • 2 -3 tsp dry, grated coconut

For Seasoning

  • 3-4 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
  • Asafoetida powder (hing), a pinch
  • 5-6 curry leaves

Preparation

  1. Cook the toor dal in the pressure cooker with 1 1/4 cups water and a little turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles.
  2. In a deep saucepan, boil the ash gourd pieces with 1/4 cup water, salt, and a little turmeric powder.
  3. While the melon is cooking, roast the masala ingredients – chana dal, toor dal, dhania and red chillies. Grind these with coconut with a little water into a coarse paste.
  4. When the ash gourd is semi-cooked, add the pinto beans. Cook for a minute or two.
  5. Add the ground masala and boil for 2-3 minutes until the gourd, pinto beans, and masala are fully cooked
  6. Mash and add the cooked dal.
  7. Heat oil in a small pan for the seasoning. Add hing and green chillies. As the chillies start to brown, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Pour over the dal and stir.
  8. Let the ash-gourd kootu come to a boil.
  9. Serve the ash-gourd kootu hot with hot rice, ghee, and pappadums or with roti.

Category: Dals and Soups, Dals and Soups - No-Onion No-Garlic, Vegan Dals and Soups

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