Poosanikai mor kuzhambu (Ash gourd buttermilk curry)

Poosanikai (Ash Gourd) mor (buttermilk) kuzhambu (curry/sambhar) is a signature Iyengar entree that is must have in festivals, weddings and other important gatherings.  The typical recipe that my mom in law uses is one that has coconut, cumin and green chillies as spices, but I thought of giving it a typical "Sambhar" taste with added Rasam spicy mix - Iyer style.

Today you will learn my recipe using the Spicy Rasam mix.

Poosanikai mor kuzhambu
Ingredients
Ash gourd - 1 kg (chopped into big pieces)
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Rasam powder - 2 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 1-2
Yogurt (nicely mixed) or buttermilk (thick) - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Refined oil - 1 tbsp
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
few curry leaves

Rasam Powder (you can store this as spice mix)
2 tbsp coriander seeds
3-4 Red Chilli 
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp black pepper corn seeds
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp asafoetida
Dry fry the above ingredients and grind them into powder.

Directions for Kozhumbu
Cook the ash gourd in 2 cups of water along with tamarind paste and salt. Add Rasam powder and 1 cup of buttermilk/yogurt, so the vegetable cooks in the juice of buttermilk, tamarind and salt/spices.
Meanwhile, grind the coconut (you can use fresh coconut as well) and green chilli and add to this mix and let it cook for 5-10 min. The curry will be slightly watery. You lower the heat and add the 1 cup of remaining yogurt in the end and let it simmer for 2-3 min. In another pan, heat some oil, add the mustard seeds and when they sputter, add the asafoetida, red chilli and curry leaves and switch off the heat. Add this spicy mix on top of the kozhumbu (dish) to flavor it on top.

Serve hot with Rice or with Rice+cooked Toor dal (red lentil). Eating with lentil is typical from my husband's family. My mom in law usually cooks this dish with only green chilli and coconut/cumin as spice. However, my husband liked this new taste that is a fusion of Sambhar and Mor kozhumbu.