Learn how to make traditional Tamil Nadu style Poosanikai rasavangi (white pumpkin kootu / ash gourd gravy) in a pressure cooker. Made with tender pumpkin cubes simmered in tamarind and freshly roasted coconut spice paste, this comforting kuzhambu pairs delightfully with hot rice and ghee.
Poosanikai rasavangi / pumpkin kootu for rice is a healthy and tasty side dish for rice. I learnt this vellai poosanikai rasavangi also known as poosanikai kootu from my MIL. Usually we make Kathirikai rasavangi and very rarely vellai poosanikai rasavangi. Whenever we buy white pumpkin, we make juice with it. But this time I wanted to try some other interesting recipes with it. So I asked my MIL for this rasavangi recipe and prepared for our lunch along with coriander leaves thogayal.
Tamil brahmins also make rasavangi but slightly in a different way. They add toor dal or chana dal along with pumpkin. But we add dals only for making rasavangi powder. My MIL makes this gravy in an open pan and cook the pumpkin in tamarind extract. But I make it directly in a pressure cooker. Its an easy one pot kuzhambu for me. This method helps me to cook faster during busy mornings.
When I make this pumpkin gravy, I don’t make any specific side dish. I just make some thogayal or podi to accompany this dish. We mix this gravy with rice adding ghee. Tastes great with simple roasted papad as side dish. We do make a gravy with yellow pumpkin for rice. We call it as Parangikai chutney. Its procedure is completely different from this. I have given the link below. Ok, Lets see how to make white pumpkin kootu / Vellai poosanikai rasavangi with step by step pictures. Do try this easy poosanikai rasavangi in a pressure cooker. Share your feedback with me.
Do check out my Kathirikai rasavangi recipe, Yellow pumpkin gravy, Pumpkin sambar and White pumpkin halwa recipes.
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Ash Gourd / White Pumpkin Availability: Fresh ash gourd (Chinese winter melon or petha) is readily available in Indian grocery stores like Patel Brothers, H-Mart or Asian supermarkets. Look for firm pieces with a dusty white rind. Cut off the thick skin and remove the soft pulpy seed center before cubing into 1-inch pieces.
- Coconut Oil & Grated Coconut: Organic virgin coconut oil (such as Nutiva or Trader Joe’s) brings out that authentic South Indian home aroma. Fresh frozen grated coconut (like Daily Delight or Vadilal) thawed at room temperature works best for grinding the spice paste.
- Pressure Cooking on Electric Stoves: White pumpkin has high water content and cooks very quickly. On electric coil or glass-top stoves, bring the cooker to pressure on medium heat, cook for just 1 whistle, and immediately remove the cooker from the hot burner to prevent the pumpkin pieces from overcooking into mush.
- Instant Pot Option: Sauté tempering spices and pumpkin on ‘Sauté’ mode for 1 minute, add tamarind extract and the ground spice paste with 1/2 cup of water, and pressure cook on ‘Low Pressure’ for 2 minutes with Quick Release.
- Tamarind Paste: If using store-bought seedless tamarind paste (such as Tamicon or Priya), use 1 tablespoon diluted in 1 cup of warm water. Avoid excess tamarind as white pumpkin readily absorbs sourness.
Poosanikai Rasavangi Recipe – White Pumpkin Kootu For Rice
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 15 cubes White pumpkin / Vellai poosanikai (approx. 2 cups / 250 g / 8.8 oz) peeled and seeded, cut into big cubes
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil (approx. 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz)
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- Tamarind (medium gooseberry size / approx. 15 g / 0.5 oz) soaked in water to extract 1 cup juice
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt and water as needed
To Roast & Grind
- 1 ½ tsp Chana dal (approx. 8 g)
- 1 ½ tsp Urad dal (approx. 8 g)
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds / dhania (approx. 10 g)
- 3 – 5 Dry red chillies adjust to spice preference
- 2 tsp Cooking oil (approx. 10 ml) for roasting
- 3 tbsp Grated coconut (approx. 20 g / 0.7 oz) fresh or frozen
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida / hing
- 1 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Wash and cut the pumpkin into two halves. Slice them into big pieces and remove the seeds in the middle. Chop into big cubes and slice the skin. Set aside. Soak tamarind in water, take 1 cup extract and keep aside.
- In a small kadai, heat oil and roast the dhania, urad dal, chana dal, red chillies and hing till golden. Remove and grind with coconut to a smooth powder.
- Heat coconut oil in a cooker base. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add chopped pumpkin pieces and turmeric powder, then saute for a minute.
- Add tamarind extract, salt and 1 cup of water. Add the ground powder. Pressure cook on low flame for one whistle.
- Open the cooker after steam is released completely. Garnish with coriander leaves and mix well. Serve hot with rice.
Notes
- Adjust the quantity of red chillies as per your taste.
- Do not add more tamarind because pumpkin will absorb all the tangy taste.
- Usually my MIL cooks the pumpkin separately and adds it to the gravy, but I make everything in a cooker for ease.
- Adding chana dal, urad dal and coconut gives thickness to the gravy.
- We usually mix this gravy with rice. You can also make it thick and serve as kootu for vathakuzhambu rice.
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Try this easy, vellai poosanikai rasavangi recipe for rice and enjoy !
Nice recipe with pusinika.
Thank you :)