2015 Special|Kashi Halwa|Ash Gourd Halwa

    A sweet end to the year 2014 that started with karupatti paniyaram.A sweet start to the year 2015 with this kashi halwa ...I am sure this coming year will bring all the joy and all the goodness you want.I will post recipes with very good pictures,my new year resolution.What is your resolution for the new year?
      Lets get started with Kashi halwa Its a very popular dessert served in udupi-konkani marriages,recently i saw this recipe in samayal samayal when chef venkatesh bhat told he learned the recipe from chettinad palace.

Different names of ash gourd:
      Ash gourd is called by so many different names, for those who browse by the names "vellai poosani" in Tamil,"elavan or kumbalanga in Malayalam" ,"kumbalakkai" in kannada,"boodha gummidikkai" in Telugu.Don't guess this halwa is made only in kashi a city in benaras. kashi phal -in Hindi means ash gourd so this halwa is called kashi halwa.

Medicinal Benefits of ash gourd:
       Kashi phal has got 95 percent water content and high calcium content .Ash gourd is good for weight loss and it helps to maintain blood pressure as well.
What all  you can make with kashi phal:
         You can make arachuvitta sambhar, regular sambhar,moru curry or kootu with kashi phal..apart
from making this wonderful kashi halwa.
How to choose Pumpkin for kashi halwa:
             Ash gourd has to be heavy and also it should not be soft .that means its mature and its good for making halwa.If its soft there is a chance that you get very less ash gourd after filtering the water or it may get mushy while cooking.Texture of the halwa is very important..

Moru Curry(Step By Step Pics) | Mor Kulambu

         I have a love towards mor kulambhu/Moru Curry and avial .I tasted Moru Curry when i was in my uncles house Chennai .I  did avial many times after i got married . This moru curry, i never tried .While i was going through a recipe book i mentioned about, i saw this moru curry with ash gourd recipe there and want to try immediately . I did the curry previous week.After i ate  ,my hand smelled like heaven .Just loving this Mor Kulzhambhu .
    Moru Curry and Beans paruppu usili is a very famous combo in Iyengar house.But we do Beetroot Usili(beetroot kola) as a sidedish(Instead of beans we use beetroot).
        I added just 3/4 cup of yogurt and 3 green chilies opposed to 1 1/2 cup yogurt and 4 green chilies mentioned in the book ,Thinking of it will be more for 3 of us .After we ate lunch  so much of  kulambhu was remaining so we had with dosa and it tasted amazing with dosa too  .If  you want  gravy/kulambhu to be tangy, use the day before yogurt .If you are making this curry for more than 4 people increase the yogurt and chilies used. you might want to increase coconut used as well .


Some wonderful kulambhu recipes

1. Curry leaves Kulambhu
2. Kola Urundai Kulambhu
3. Kathirikai Murungaikai Kulambhu

Preparation time:10 min
Cooking time:10 +15 min
Serves:3-4

Ingredients:

•  200 grams ash gourd/poosani kai
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 8 red onions/shallots
• 1/2 tomato/Thakkali.
• 3/4 cup yogurt/thayir

To temper:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp jeera/Cumin seeds
• few curry leaves/Karuvepilai

To grind:

• 2 tsp grated coconut
• 1 tsp jeera/Cumin seeds
• 3 green chilies/Pacha milagai
• 1 tsp toor Dal/Thuvaram parupu
• 1 tsp Channa Dal/Kadala parupu
• 1 tsp raw rice/Pacharisi

Method:

• Soak Channa,toor Dal and raw rice for sometime and grind it along with jeera,coconut,chilies.

• Clean the ash gourd and cut it in to small pieces.

• Pressure cook it along with onion and tomato for a whistle .
• In a pan add oil and add the tempering items when tava is hot .

• Add turmeric powder as well .
• Add the pressure cooked ash gourd and ground paste .
• Add the required salt and let it cook until it becomes thick .
• Make the yogurt to butter milk by churning it.If its too thick add little water .

• When the gravy is thick, add the thick butter milk .

• When the gravy boils switch off the flame .
• Serve it with rice and parupu usili .

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