Description
Fuzzy Melon is a winter squah, rather call it this way, as it has got all the qualities of a winter squash than a melon. Grown in abundance in South East Asia and quite popular in other countries too. Though the name looks unfamiliar, its quite native to our region and in simple nothing but immature Neer Poosanikai.
English ~~~~ Ash Gourd, Fuzzy Melon, Wax Gourd, Winter Melon, White Gourd
Tamil ~~~~ Neer Poosanikai
Telugu ~~~~ Boodida Gummadikaaya
Hindi ~~~~ Petha, Pethakaddu
Malayalam ~~~~ Kumbalanga
Kannada ~~~~ Boodagumbala
Chinese ~~~~ Moqua / Maogua (US farm markets and Chinese Stores use this name)
Primarily its a fruit known or eaten as a vegetable. Quite misleading but thats the fact, at early stages this fruit looks cylindrical in shape, with mild cream coloured flesh covered with green skin which inturn covered with thin fuzzy hair and hence the name Fuzzy Melon. When matured, its looks spherical, large , sheds its fuzzy hair, losses it dark green colour and turns to shiny wax coated light green skin. When cooked taste similar to our white pumpkin but with less sweetness.
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 no | Fuzzy melon |
| 10 nos | Shallots (sambar onions finely chopped) |
| 1 no | Tomato (diced) |
| 2 clove | Garlic |
| ¾ cup | Split red gram (toor gram / thuvaram paruppu) |
| ¼ tsp | Turmeric powder |
| ½ tsp | Red chili powder |
| 2 tsp | Coriander /dhania powder |
| ¼ tsp | Salt (for pressure cooking) |
| 2 cup | Water (for pressure cooking) |
| 3 tbsp | Tamarind juice (or thick store bought pulp 1/4 tsp) |
| 1 tsp | Salt (or to taste) |
| 3 tsp | Oil |
| 1 tsp | Sambar powder (optional) |
| 2 nos | Dry red chili |
| ¼ tsp | Mustard |
| ¼ tsp | Cumin seeds |
| ¼ tsp | Fennugreek seeds |
| 6 nos | Curry leaves |
| ¼ tsp | Asafoetida |
| 1 tsp | Desicated coconut (optional) |
| ¼ tsp | Jaggery (optional) |
| 3 stks | Coriander leaves |
Instructions
Soak split red gram / Toor dal in enough water for atleast 1/2 hour. Wash the melon, peel the skin compleletely, cut them into big cubes. Roughly chop the Sambar onions and crush the garlic. Now in a pressure pan combine washed toor dal, cubed melon pieces, chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, tumeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, little salt and 2 cups of water. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and switch off. Take a sauce pan, heat oil splutter mustard, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chili and curry leaves. Sprinkle asafoetida and add the cooked veggie dal mixture, tamarind juice, sambar powder and remaining salt. Bring it one boil, garnish with coriander leaves and switch off. At this stage add little desicated coconut and jaggery for extra flavour. Serve with steaming hot rice topped with ghee.
Notes
Yield : 4 Servings.
Adjust the consitency with extra water.
Take a look at this forum thread for more exciting recipes relating to Fruits ann Vegetables around the World.
2 Comments
i didn’t know u can make sambar with this vegetable. last week only i bought this vege from one chinese market. thank you for the information.
Just registered…Nice receipe, keep-up the great work.