Ash Gourd & Channa dal Curry/Poosanikkai-kadalaiparuppu koottu

Ingredients
Ash Gourd/Poosanikkai - 1 cup (cubed) [150grams, approximately]
[This veggie is also called as white pumpkin / Winter melon]
Channa dal/Kadalai paruppu - 1/4cup [50grams, approximately]
Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon
Grated coconut - 2tablespoons
Green chilly- 3 (adjust to your taste)
Cumin Seeds-1teaspoon
For tempering
Coconut oil - 2 teaspoons
Mustard seed -1/2teaspoon
Urad dhal -1teaspoon
Red chilly -2
Few curry leaves

Method
Wash and soak the channa dal for an hour. Cook it and keep it aside. [ make sure, you don't over cook the dal]
Cook the ash gourd cubes with little water, salt and turmeric powder.

Grind the coconut-cumin seeds and green chillies into a coarse paste, without adding water.

Add the cooked dal and coconut paste with the cooked veggie. (check and adjust the salt)

Cook on medium heat till the raw smell of the coconut goes off..say 4-5 minutes.
Put off the flame, transfer the curry to serving bowl. Heat some oil (you can use any oil, but coconut oil enhances the taste and aroma! ;) ) in a small pan, make the tempering, pour it over the koottu and serve along with rice -sambar / kuzhambu /rasam.


Note : You can use the excess water from the dal to make rasam, which tastes really nice. :)