POOSANIKAI KOOTU:
Poosanikai/ winter melon, we treated this one as a classic veggie. How many of know that this veggie PROTECTS THE HEART, with high level of POTASSIUM & VITAMIN C.
Some of the surprising benefits of winter melon are
- It boosts the vision
- It protects your heart
- Since it delivers the Vitamin C in a major way that helps to stimulates the body cell growth and development
- It helps in digestion
- It is often used as DIURETIC, which helps to detoxify the body.
- Rich in dietary fiber helps to optimize digestion and helps to prevent from many gastrointestinal issues.
- Winter melon is often praised as a weight loss tool, because it is high in fiber and low in calories helps to reduce the excess weight.
Ingredients:
- wintermelon – 1 cup
- Pasiparuppu/moong dhal – ½ cup
- Small onion/shallot – 5 nos (halved)
- Tomato – 1 no
- Garlic – 3nos (crushed)
- Cumin seeds/ seeragam – 2tsp
- Asafetida – ¼ tsp
- Manjal podi/Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Grated coconut – 2tblsp
- Water – as req
- Salt – as req
For tempering:
- Gingelly oil – 2 tsp
- Kadugu/ mustard seeds – 1tsp
- Urad dhal/ ulundhu – 1tsp
- Dry red chilli – 3 nos
Procedure:
Step 1:
Chop the winter melon roughly, wash and cut the onions and tomato.
In a pressure cooker add moong dhal, small onion, tomato, garlic, 1 tsp cumin seeds, asafetida, and turmeric powder along with the chopped winter melons and pour some amount of water as required to your dhal and pressure cook it for about 2 whistles.
Step 2:
Place a kadai add a tsp of gingelly oil, once the oil get hot add mustard seeds and urad dhal and let it splutter, now add the broken red chilies saute for a while, add the tempering into the wintermelon dhal mixture along with req amount of salt.
Step 3:
Meanwhile grind the coconut and cumin seeds finely and pour the mixture into the kootu and bring it to boil and turn off the flame. Serve hot with a scoop of white rice or chapathi.
