Poricha Kuzhambu/ Poricha Kootu

This is a popular South-Indian side-dish that is considered as a healthier substitute for Sambar (I know, I am yet to write about the popular Sambar). Sans tamarind and with a generous amount of lentils and vegetables, it is healthy and sumptuous when had with rice or roti.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 Cup Thoor Dhal / Thuvaram paruppu
2. 1.5 - 2 cups worth diced white pumpkin / or any kind of gourd / vegetables
3. 3.5 teaspoons split urad dhal /ulutham paruppu 
4. 2 teaspoons coriander seeds / dhania (my mother-in-law adds this)
5. 1/4 cup grated coconut
6. 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
7. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
8. 2 dry red chillies
9. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
10. 2 teaspoons sambar powder
11. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
12. a few curry leaves
13. 2 tablespoons vegetable / olive oil
14. 1 teaspoon salt (or as needed)
15. 1/4 teaspoon hing / asafoetida

Preparation (steps 1, 2, and 4 can be done in parallel to save time and avoid over cooking the kuzhambu)

1. Cook the toor dhal / lentils with enough water to cover it. Cooking the dhal in a pressure cooker results in the best texture for this kuzhambu, but if you don't own a pressure cooker (or are apprehensive of cooking in one (like me)), cook the lentils for about 40 minutes or more (adding more water when needed) until it can be mashed. 
2. Cook the pumpkin/vegetable with about 1 cup of water along with turmeric powder and sambar powder on medium heat (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat when the pumpkin is almost done but not completely done. 
3. Add the cooked pumpkin/vegetable (along with the turmeric powder - sambar powder broth in which it was stewed) to the cooked lentils. Add a little more water if needed and bring the whole thing to a boil on low-medium heat. Add salt as needed at this point. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the spice-paste (below) is added. Do not over boil/cook at this stage. Just make sure there is no raw smell of lentils.
4. In a tablespoon of oil, roast the pepper corns, jeera, red chillies, dhania, and split urad dhal until the dhal begins to turn golden and pepper corns splutter. At this point, switch off the heat and add coconut and hing and stir/roast in the residual heat.
5. When cooled, grind the above roasted spices with 1/4 cup of water (or as needed) to grind into a smooth paste. 
6. Add the spice paste to the simmering lentils and pumpkin. Stir well and keep simmering for another 5 minutes. 
7. In the remaining tablespoon of oil, splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the garnish to the kuzhambu and remove from heat. 

Serve with steaming rice with a dollop of ghee!