Kuvale Pulikoddel/Ash gourd sweet and spicy curry

Ingredients:
Ash gourd-1/2 kg
Salt – to taste
Jaggery-3-4 tbsp,powder
Tamarind-double the marble size
Ingredients to season:
Ghee or oil-1 tsp(We use ghee)
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs


Ingredients for the masala:
Grated coconut-1 cup
Long red chilies-8-9,roasted in a tsp of oil
Coriander seeds-4 tsp
Bengal gram dal/chana dal-2 tsp
Split black gram dal/urad dal-2 tsp
Black sesame seeds-1 tsp
Rice- 1 tsp
Turmeric piece-small or 1/4 tsp powder
Asafoetida-small piece or 1/4 tsp powder
Oil- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Peel,wash,discard seeds and cut the ashgourd into chunks.
2. Add salt to taste and jaggery and cook the gourd until just done.
3. Dont over cook.
4. Keep it aside.

Method for the masala:

1. Dry roast the grated coconut until reddish in colour and keep it  to cool.
2. Dry roast sesame seeds in low flame until it splutters and keep it aside.
3. Dry roast rice for few seconds and keep it aside.
4. Heat 2 tsp of oil and roast coriander seeds,chana dal and urad dal until light brown in colour.
5. If you are using whole turmeric or  hing piece(kada hing or paste), roast with the above ingredients together.
6. If you are using hing powder and turmeric powder,off the flame and add it in the above fried ingredients and mix it since the powder burns quickly.
7. Cool all the ingredients.
8. You may powder this fried ingredients along with roasted chillies and tamarind coarsely or grind it coarsely adding water.

How to proceed:

1. If there is more water in the cooked ash gourd reserve it in a separate vessel for later use.
2. Mix the powder or masala to the cooked ash gourd,adjust the consistency with the reserved stock,check salt  and jaggery and take a boil.
3. Take a seasoning pan,heat ghee splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
4. Add it to the curry and close the lid immediately to preserve the flavour.
5. At times the gravy becomes too dry after sometime,that time you may add the leftover stock if any.
6. Serve it hot with the main course.