Kualo (Kuvalo) Bafat (Ashgourd Curry) - Manglorean Special

1 Kg Ashgourd (Kualo) skin peeled & cut into thin long strips

Ingredients for grinding
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 black pepper
2 cloves garlic
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 dry red chilies
½ onion sliced
5 tbsp fresh or desiccated coconut
Small ball of tamarind

Grind all the above in a grinder to a thin paste with little water. Keep the ground masala aside. Also wash the grinder and keep the masala water aside.
In a pot take the thinly sliced ash gourd, add ½ tsp salt, 4 bay leaves and little water. Boil the ash gourd till it is little translucent. Throw the water and keep it aside.

Take the ground masala water in a pot. To this add 3 green chillies slit, 2 thinly sliced onions, 1 inch ginger finely chopped, 8 flakes of garlic thinly sliced. Add ¼ tsp salt. Boil till the onions are translucent (takes about 5 minutes). To this now add the ground masala. Add the boiled ashourd and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp vinegar, ½ tsp sugar and salt to adjust. Let the curry boil. Put off the flame. Take ½ cup of water, boil. To the boiling water add 7 tbsp coconut milk powder and stir it well to a smooth paste. Add this coconut milk to the curry and mix well.
Now temper the curry with 1 thinly sliced onion browned well in 3 tbsp oil.

Enjoy the curry with Pan Poley (Lacey Rice Pancakes) or steamed rice.


Variation : you can substitute ashgourd with lady fingers. Yummy..

Lacey Rice Pancakes recipe can be viewed here : http://gluttonyandgourmet.blogspot.com/2006/11/pan-poley-neer-dosa-rice-pancakes.html

Ashgourd Halwa

1/2 Kg Ash gourd(white pumpkin)(peel, grate and keep it aside)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp ghee
4-5 drops yellow food colour
1 tbsp raisins

Take a pan, add 2 tsp of ghee, put it on medium heat.

Once pan is hot add the grated ashgourd, sugar, cardamom powder, food colour & raisins. Mix it well and now leave it on slow fire for 30 minutes to cook till all the water gets evaporated and halwa looks glassy.

Garnish the halwa with slivered chopped roasted almonds.

Serve it hot or cold

Ashgourd & dry shrimps curry

Ingredients :

1 Kg of Ashgourd
3/4 cup of dried shrimps

For grinding the Masala
7 dry red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 flakes of garlic
1 small onion
1 lemon size tamarind
10 tsp desiccated coconut
4 tbsp coconut milk powder

Grind the above masala with 1 cup of water to a fine paste. keep it aside.

Peel the ash gourd and cut it into small cubes as below.




















Dry roast in a pan the dry shrimps till you get a nice aroma. Keep it aside.




















Take a vessel add the cubed ash gourd, ground masala & roasted shrimps.
Add 1 1/2 cups of water, add 1 tsp salt.
Let it boil on slow fire till the ashgourd is cooked (it will take approx 10-12 minutes) Ashgourd will appear translucent when cooked. Check the salt, if you need more add as per your taste. Put off the flame.

Now Temper the curry with 1 medium sliced onion and few curry leaves.

For Tempering :
Take in a frying pan 4 tbsp oil, once the oil is hot add the sliced onion till it browns, now add the curry leaves. Add this to the curry as below.




















Enjoy it with plain white rice.