Ash Gourd Raita Poosanikai Thayir Pachadi

Ash gourds are a staple in South Indian kitchens, and I enjoy making a variety of dishes with them, including ash gourd juice, sambar, majjige huli with it. With their numerous health benefits, I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to try. Today, I am sharing ash gourd raita recipe made with only ash gourd, yogurt, and tempering. Its a perfect accompaniment to Indian meals and is ready in less than 10 minutes. In Tamil Nadu and other regions, some people blend ¼ cup of fresh coconut, two green chilies, and ½ teaspoon of jeera to a smooth paste and add to this raita. It’s also known as Poosanikai Thayir Pachadi. It is incredibly delicious and can be eaten as a side dish with plain rice. This refreshing raita is known by different names across South India: Poosanikai thayir pachadi in Tamil, Kumbalkayi mosaru bajji in Kannada, Budugumbalakai pachadi, and Boodidha gummadi kaaya perugu pachadi in Telugu. I love making raita with vegetables like zucchini raita, lauki raita, beetroot raita and broccoli raita.

Ingredients

Yogurt (curd): Use homemade or store-bought full-fat plain yogurt (curd) for this raita. Ash gourd (winter melon): Choose a gourd with pale green or dark rind, firm, and heavy for its size. You can also find pre-cut pieces of ash gourd at Indian grocery stores. Fresh Herbs: I used fresh coriander leaves. Tempering: Coconut oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilies, hing, and curry leaves.

How to Make Ash Gourd Raita

First, wash the ash gourd thoroughly with water. Next, remove the seeds and the soft center of the ash gourd. Peel the skin and grate it using a box grater or food processor. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Then add green (or red) chilies, curry leaves, asafetida (hing), and saute for a few seconds. Keep it aside. Whisk the yogurt or curd in a mixing bowl. Add the grated raw ash gourd and the tempering (tadka) along with some salt. Taste to ensure the seasoning is to your liking. Note: In this recipe, I did not cook the ash gourd. However, you can also sauté grated ash gourd on the stovetop or microwave it for 2-3 minutes on high, checking in between. The healthy ash gourd raita is ready. Serve chilled.