Vellai Poosanikai Kootu White Pumpkin Kootu

Kootu – this vegetable and lentil-based gravy is part and parcel of everyday Tamil meals. I have shared quite a few kootu recipes, and now it’s time for another with white pumpkin or, as we say in Tamil, vellai poosanikai. Vellai poosanikai has a lot of English names – winter melon, ash gourd, or white pumpkin. You can use this vegetable to make sambar, kootu, dry poriyal, and desserts like halwa, more like my zucchini halwa. You can also make soups and fresh juice which is an excellent detox. I will share the recipe soon. It’s one healthy vegetable for sure.

Ingredients required

White pumpkin: I have used 500 grams, approx 4 cups of white pumpkin. I usually peel the skin and chop them.Chana dal: We usually use a dal for kootu and white pumpkin; chana dal or the desi split chickpeas work well. In Tamil, we call kadalai paruppu.For the kootu masala: We need cumin seeds, dried red chilies, ginger(optional), and grated coconut. Fresh or frozen coconut works; if you use frozen coconut, make sure to thaw it to room temperature. To Temper: I highly recommend coconut oil for this kootu, but you can use the oil of your choice. We need some mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, and asafoetida for tempering. We also need ground turmeric, salt, and water, apart from these ingredients. Check the recipe card for detailed measurements.

Dietary specifications

This vellai poosanikai kootu is naturally vegan and nut-free. Also, it’s a kootu recipe without any onion and garlic. Use gluten-free asafoetida for a gluten-free version. I have stored this kootu for up to 3 days in the fridge. I usually make kootu as a part of my weekend meal prep. You can relish this kootu with plain steamed rice with a side of pickle and papad. Alternatively, you can serve it along with rice, sambar or kuzhambu, or rasam as a sidedish.

Variations

I have shared quite a few kootu recipes on my blog. You can use any of the kootu masalas for this one too. Instead of dried red chilies, you can use green chilies or whole black pepper. Check out my chayote squash/chow kootu recipe without coconut to prepare the kootu masala without coconut. You can also try my cauliflower poricha kootu masala for this one. Instead of chana dal, you can also use moong dal or toor dal or a mix of dals.

How to make vellai poosanikai/white pumpkin kootu

Rinse the chana dal and take it in a vessel where you plan to make the kootu. Ensure the vessel fits inside the pressure cooker. Add ½ cup of water to the chana dal.

Now add the chopped white pumpkin to it and add the ground turmeric—no need to add more water. Add two cups of water to the pressure cooker and place the white pumpkin vessel inside the pressure cooker.

Close the pressure cooker and cook for two whistles. Let the pressure subside naturally.

Meanwhile, take the coconut, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, and ginger in the mixer jar.

Add ¼ cup of water and grind it into a smooth paste.

Add this ground mixture to the cooked white pumpkin. And salt too. Mix well, and you might notice the kootu is more watery as the white pumpkin oozes out more water when cooking.

Simmer the kootu in medium-low heat.

Turn off the heat as the kootu froths up and thickens a bit.

In a separate kadai, heat a tsp of oil, and when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter and add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Let the curry leaves crisp a bit, then turn off the heat. Add this to the kootu and that’s it the kootu is ready.

Recipe notes

Adjust the salt and dried red chilies to taste.Instead of chana dal, you can also use moong dal. You can also make this kootu in Instant Pot using the pot in pot method, and I have explained the cooking time on my IG reels. Please check it here.

Explore other kootu recipes

PS: If you try this white pumpkin kootu, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.