Ash Gourd Sambar recipe | Kumblakai Koddel or Sambar

Ash Gourd Sambar recipe | Kumblakai Koddel or Sambar is a healthy sambar recipe made with Ash Gourd or Winter melon. Sambar recipe made with ash gourd, brinjal, onion, and tomato and spiced with sambar powder. Served best with Dahi Vada /Thayir Vadas and Ash gourd Coconut Chutney.

Why Ash Gourd Sambar:

Ash gourd is an extremely healthy vegetable. Also known as Chinese Melon, Winter melon, white pumpkin. Its mild taste matches the flavors of cucumber. Comprising of 95 percent water, it’s very low in calories and rich in fiber.

#Nutritional Value: Per 100 gms.

Calories: 13

Protein: > 1 gram.

Fiber: 3 grams.

Carbohydrate :3 gms.

It has a high amount of Anti-oxidants. Besides these numerous benefits, it is good for digestion and reduces Blood sugar levels.

Ash gourd is considered to have medicinal properties. Ash gourd juice is another popular recipe. It has anti-cancerous properties. It prevents ulcers, reduces inflammation, and has antimicrobial properties.

Any other vegetable, you know, has these many benefits?

This is a SUPER FOOD!

In Southern India and north India, many recipes are prepared with Ash Gourd. Like, Petha, Ash gourd Curry, Ash gourd Juice, Kerela Ash gourd gravy, and the popular Ash Gourd Sambar and Ash gourd Coconut chutney.

Popular Recipes on the Blog:

1. Instant Coconut chutney
2. Green Chutney | Coriander Chutney
3. Tomato Onion Chutney-Dosa/Idli Chutney-Restaurant style
4. Easy Idli/Dosa Batter -How to make Idli /Dosa Batter at home
5. Vrat Dosa
6. Malai Kofta in white gravy recipe |Malai Kofta gravy restaurant-style |With and without paneer
7. Aval Payasam |Poha Kheer | Poha Kheer with Jaggery
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10. Dahi Vada /Thayir Vadas

Ash Gourd Sambar recipe | Kumblakai Koddel or Sambar

Ash Gourd Sambar recipe | Kumblakai Koddel or Sambar is a healthy sambar recipe made with Ash Gourd or Winter melon. Sambar recipe made with ash gourd, brinjal, onion, and tomato and spiced with sambar powder.

Course breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, main course, Main Dish, sauceschutney

Cuisine indian, south indian

Keyword Ash Gourd, Kumbalakai, Sambar

Servings 6 ppl

Prep Time 10 min

Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sambar

• 600 gm Ash gourd desseded , peeled and chopped in cubes
• 1 small Brinjal cubed
• 1 cup Arhar Dal/ Tuvar Dal washed
• 2 tbsp Virgin coconut oil
• 10-12 Kadi patta /curry leaves
• 2 tbsp ginger paste or grated ginger
• 2 small Tomatoes cubed
• 1 tbsp urad dhuli dal
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 2 Dry red chilies
• 1 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
• 2 small onions slit into 6 pieces/ 4-5 sambar onions
• 2 tbsp Sambar Powder
• 1 tsp salt plus 1 tsp for sambar
• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut optional

Tempering

• 1 tbsp Asafoetida /Hing
• 1 tbsp Virgin coconut oil
• 1 tsp big mustard seeds
• 1 dried red chili
• 5-6 Kadi patta /curry leaves

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a pressure cooker put 1 cup washed Arhar dal, add 3 cups water, salt, Haldi, 1 tsp ginger grated. Cover and cook until 5 whistles. I whistle on full flame and then simmer and cook for 4 whistles.
2. Meanwhile, begin Step 2. In a wok/ Kadai/ Claypot, Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil on simmer. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp hing/asafoetida, chana dal, urad dal, grated ginger, dry red chili, Kadi Patta/curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds or until light brown. Cook on low flame to avoid burning.
3. Step 3: Add onions ( slit into 6 lengthwise) and saute until light brown. Now, add the ash gourd cubes and brinjal cubes. Cook until soft.
4. Add salt and haldi. Mix well. Add the cubed tomatoes. Mix. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Step 4: Add the sambar powder, mix well. Now, add the boiled dal. Add 1 cup water and cover with a lid.Add 2 tbsp coconut powder/desicated coconut.
6. Cook covered for 5 minutes to make the masala and dal and veggies blend together. Close the flame and let the sambar rest for 5 minutes.
7. Tempering: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil, add mustard seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves. Let it splutter and add the tempering to the samber before serving.

Recipe Notes

Things to remember:

1. Cooking the veggies on low flame enhances the flavor of the dish.
2. Adding hing in the sambar and again in tempering improves the flavor and also helps in good digestion.

Ash Gourd Sambar is served best with Ash gourd Coconut Chutney (Recipe link in post), Dahi Vada , Idli/ Dosa/ Vada.