ash gourd sambar recipe | kumblakai koddel or sambar recipe

Ingredients

• ½ kg ash gourd / winter melon / budhu kumbalakai / pumpkin
• 1 cup tamarind extract
• ½ tsp turmeric powder / haldi
• 1 tsp jaggery / gud / bella
• salt to taste
• few curry leaves
• 1 cup toor dal, cooked
• 3 tsp sambar powder
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

for tempering:

• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds / rai
• pinch of hing / asafoetida
• few curry leaves

Steps

1. Peel the kumblakai and cut it into pieces. The peel can be used for kumblakai sippe chutney.
2. Put the pieces on to boil with a cup of tamarind extract.
3. Add ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp jaggery, salt to taste, and a few curry leaves.
4. Boil with the lid on for 10 minutes or until the ash gourd is cooked through.
5. Add the cooked toor dal, using 1 cup.
6. Bring the sambar to the desired consistency, then let it boil for 2 minutes.
7. Mix in 3 tsp sambar powder and let the sambar simmer for a minute. Avoid boiling it for too long.
8. Meanwhile, heat oil to start the tempering.
9. Put 1 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of hing, and a few curry leaves into the hot oil.
10. Wait for the tempering to splutter before pouring it over the sambar.
11. Mix the coriander leaves thoroughly into the sambar.
12. Bring the ash gourd sambar to the table with hot steamed rice.