Kumbalanga-Muringakkya Pulingari - Ash Gourd and Drumstick Curry

It takes me less than an hour to cook breakfast and lunch for the day if I am in a good mood and I have the menu ready in my mind.I agree to every one who says it is the menu part which takes up all of the time.Which ozhichu curry(gravy)to make and what upperi(side-dish)will go with seems to be a daily issue.I try and decide it the previous night itself so that kitchen time is minimal.It is scorching summer here in Chennai and even the tadka heat becomes unbearable.

 
I rely on my Mallu friends when it comes to authentic malayali curries and this one is no different.My friend Ramya made this for lunch one day and I just couldn't guess what was it that made it different from the regular Kumbalanga pulisheri that I make.While sour curd is used for puli in pulisheri,in this curry the souring agent is raw mango.


We love pairing pulisheri with beetroot upperi and it went well with this pulingari too.
 
Kumbalanga-Muringakkya Pulingari


Ingredients


Kumbalanga/Ash gourd/Vella poosnikka - 1 cup,cubed
Muringakkya/Drumstick - 1,sliced into 2'pieces
Raw Mango - 1/2 cup,chopped
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste


For the arappu/masala


Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
Green chilly - 1
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Haldi/Turmeric - 1/4 tsp


For the seasoning


Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig


Method


Cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker with enough water till 2-3 whistles or till the dal becomes mushy.
Add in the chopped vegetables and the raw mango and cook for exactly 1 whistle.
Meanwhile,make the masala with the ingredients mentioned.Grind to a smooth paste.
Mix in the ground masala and salt to taste and bring the curry to a boil.Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Prepare seasoning in a pan with oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add red chilly and curry leaves and pour the tadka over the boiling curry.
Switch off flame and serve hot.


 
Beetroot Upperi


Ingredients


Beetroot - 1,chopped
Onion - 1,chopped
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chilly - 1,chopped
Salt to taste
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp


Method


In a thick bottomed kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds and add green chilly followed by onion.
Saute onions till golden brown and mix in the chopped beetroot.Add around 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste,close with a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes or till the beetroot is cooked.Mix in the grated coconut.
Serve with rice and pulingari.

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