Vellai poosanikai kootu recipe! A simple gravy prepared with white pumpkin, chana dal, and freshly ground spices. Check out how I make white pumpkin kootu with detailed step-wise pictures.
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.
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. Add the 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.
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.