Pusinikkai Thayir Pachadi, Ash Gourd, White Pumpkin Raitha

          Pusinikkai/ Ash Gourd/ White Pumpkin, most of the times I have made only kootu ( cooked with dal ) with this vegetable, or sometimes I have used it in sambar. Though I have heard of this thayir pachadi, I have never made it till now. It's a very easy recipe, very tasty and flavorful, we can have it as a side to some mixed rice or even mix it with rice ( like mor kuzhambu ) and have, a refreshing and healthy dish for the hot summer..

Need To Have

• Pusinikkai/ Ash Gourd - Peeled And Diced, 2 cups
• Yogurt/ Curd - 1 cup
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 8

To Grind

• Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons
• Roasted Gram Dal/ Dalia - 1 teaspoon
• Green Chilly - 1
• Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon

Method

          Cook the pusinikkai pieces with some water and salt and cool it down to room temperature. Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind '.

          Add the ground paste to the cooked ash gourd, also add the yogurt ( beat it well ) and mix everything.

       
         Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the urad dal, saute till it turns golden, then add the asafoetida and curry leaves and remove. Add this to the ash gourd, mix and enjoy.

Note
I have diced the ash gourd, you can also grate and use it the same way.
Adding more coconut is your choice, and you can leave out the roasted gram dal.