Winter melon /Ashgourd / Kumbalanga ...call it by any name .Kumbalanga mulagushyam is usually made to pour on top of the rice when there are other over powering spicy side dishes .
The ashgourd shows its presence on the rice like an yellow jelly ,all the flavor comes from green chili and coconut oil. I make this curry all the time when I have no energy to put something elaborate on the plate.
This curry brings back some childhood memories too... when we used to go to our ancestral home in Palakkad .As one enters the huge old kitchen the aroma of curry leaves and coconut oil hits the nose.Now if you are my regular reader you know where I am going......
Coconuts go from our farm land to the mill and fresh.. fresh..coconut oil is brought from the there..The aroma and flavor of this oil is worth mentioning ohhh ma....cannot be compared to store bought .Alas it is only a memory now as I adjust with the organic one .
This curry is pretty simple recipe but what makes it special is the aromas.
I guess it is more to do with affectionate words you hear than the food itself that brings these flooding of feelings...
Ingredients
Kumbalanga-1/4 piece of one whole
Toor dal-1/2 cup
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
coconut oil-2 tsp
green chili-1
curry leaves-few
salt to taste
Method
1. Cut of the thick peel and the mushy part with seeds of the ashgourd .Cut it into cubes
2.Pressure cook dal adding 1/2 glass water until it is mashed well.Open the pressure cooker and mash the rest well .Now add the cut pieces of ashgourd ,green chili slit,turmeric powder and salt.
3.Cook for one whistle and when the pressure goes open it and add raw coconut oil and curry leaves.Close and keep for 10 minutes .
3.Cook for one whistle and when the pressure goes open it and add raw coconut oil and curry leaves.Close and keep for 10 minutes .
Serve warm with rice.
Note
If you want the curry lil hot then add one more green chili or I like to give a squeeze to the chili and the heat is right for me..
I f you like it let me know...
Meena
If you want the curry lil hot then add one more green chili or I like to give a squeeze to the chili and the heat is right for me..
I f you like it let me know...
Meena
Shree
oh ! my favorite ! give me some manga achaar too ! the best combo ! missing amma's mulakooshyam 🙁
Meena Kumar
Simple comfort food right!
Jai
Meena
It is amusing as how family recipes have their own quaint quirks & variation. For my mother & granny, MALAGUSHYAM means a curry/accompaniment without any DAL/parripu and without grinding any masala or coconut.
It was usually made in the evening or after some elaborate birthday/wedding feasts or temple celebrations or what my mum would make after reaching back home from an outing. And it was a mish-mash of small portions of various vegetables, not enough by itself to make up one whole dish. The usual vegetables would be Kumblanga(Ash Gourd), Vazhuthiringa (Green Brinjals), Paccha Payaru (green string beans). Paccha Kaya (raw plantain or Banana) and Potato or Yam fingers. NO DAL. Method of preparation Steam/Boil vegetables with a little water till they are semi cooked. Add slit green chillies, curry leaves, a pinch of turmeric and red chilly powder. Mash the tubers(Potato/Yam). Cook for 5-8 minutes more to let the chillies & salt blend in. It is usually made in a KAL CHATTI-Stone vessel.It is quick & easy to make and very nourishing. And the smell of coconut oil & curry leaves drizzled on top-Heavenly! Simple comfort food as you very correctly said!
Meena Kumar
Wow that sounds really interesting.The tubes add thickness to the gravy instead of dal. I make something similar with chembu alone I din't know its name but.It is indeed amusing how every family has their own variation of recipes.