Ash Gourd Raita

Healthy and Delicious Ash Gourd Raita Recipe | Winter Melon Raita made in South Indian Style | Poosanikai Pachadi Thayir Recipe

Ash Gourd Raita is a filling and healthy raita or yogurt preparation made with Ash Gourd or Winter Melon. It is a very soothing and cooling raita which is served an accompaniment with meals.

Checkout a short video with stepwise process for HOW TO MAKE ASH GOURD RAITA

White Pumpkin or Safed Petha raita is very good for kids also. You can add additional grated vegetables like carrot, cucumber or beetroot.

You can have this raita during fasting days (Ekadashi, Navratri etc). Skip mustard seeds(rai) and lentils in tempering, if you avoid these during fasting. You can also add cumin seeds in place of mustard seeds or along with it.

About Ash Gourd

Ash Gourd in very commonly available in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. North India is known as White Pumpkin or Petha or Safed Kaddu and is used in making the popular sweet from the historical city of Agra(U.P) Petha.

In South Indian Cuisine it is also used in making curries, stir fry, soup, added to salads, can be used as stuffing for parathas. In North India we mostly make dry curry or Subzi just like the Kaddu Ki Subzi.

Ash Gourd is known to be a very auspicious vegetable (Sattvic) and is mainly used in festive preparations or temple food, Sattvic Food.

Having Ash Gourd juice in morning is known to be very beneficial for health. It is one of the best detox juice , which not only cleanses the body from toxins but also cools it down during harsh summers.

Check the detailed Recipe for Ash Gourd juice and health benefits of Ash Gourd, from the blog

Ash Gourd Juice

Ash Gourd Juice Recipe | How to make Winter Melon Juice

Check out this recipe

A brief on Indian Raita

Raitas are the accompaint or side dishes served with meals and are made with fresh sweet plain yogurt, fruits or vegetables or even plain with few spices and herbs. Raitas have thick consistency but we can always adjust it as we like. My family like thick and creamy raita.

I can have raita on it's own, especially during fasting days or days when I do not want to have regular meals( in summers) of Dal Rice or Dal Chapatis and Vegetables. These are filling, delicious and very refreshing.

Few of the Raita Recipes from my blog that you will love to try and serve with your meals

Lauki Raita

Boondi Raita

Mix Veg. Raita

Bathua Raita(Winter Special)

Spinach and Pomegranate Raita

How to make Ash Gourd Raita or Poosanikai Pachadi Thayir

Ash Gourd Raita is very popular in Tamilnadu. The vegetable is known as Poosanikai in Tamil and raita is known as Pachadi Thayir.So the name Poosanikai Pachadi Thayir.

Today I am sharing the South Indian style, the way I like. Though I also make it in simple North India way with chaat masala and mint leaves.

To make it Pachadi style, we temper the raita with curry leaves, lentils and mustard seeds.

Ash Gourd is like cucumber 90% water and has no taste of it's own. The vegetable can either be added uncooked or cooked (steamed or sauteed). You can grate it or cut into small pieces.

Variations

Many people grind together fresh coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies and add to raita.

You can also add ash gourd pieces with tempering, cook for a few mins, and then add to the curd.

Or, simply grate ash gourd and add to raita.

Ingredients to make Ash Gourd Raita/White Pumpkin Raita

Ash Gourd/Safed Petha- Choose a good raw or ripe White Pumpkin. Peel it, take out the seeds.

Yogurt- Use fresh, sweet curd. Do not use stale or sour curd as it won't taste good and may upset the stomach also.

Coconut- Fresh grated Coconut adds a nutty flavour and also to the nutritional value. Use freshly grated coconut or chop it finely to add in the recipe.

Green Chillies- I add one green chilli to add a bit of heat. If you want the make it kids friendly (optional)

Spices- Black Salt, Cumin Powder, JAggery Powder(optional)

For tempering Raita

Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves, Dry Red Chilli(optional), Oil.

Traditionally Coconut oil is used for tempering but you can use any other plant based oil like Olive Oil, Peanut Oil.

How to make Ash Gourd Raita

Cut small piece of Ash gourd(as much as required) to make Raita. For the recipe (for 2) I used 1/2 cup of chopped ash gourd for 1 cup of yogurt.

In a pan add 1 cup water and boil the ash gourd pieces for 5 mins. Then strain the water. And cool the gourd pieces completely.

If adding grated ash gourd, no need to steam or cook it. You can add it like we add cucumber in cucumber raita.

Prepare the yogurt/curd for raita. The curd or yogurt should be chilled.

Add cumin powder, jaggery powder, black salt. Whisk the curd nicely. Add very little water if required. I like creamy thick raita so i do not add any water.

Add completely cool ash gourd pieces, green chillies. If serving immediately temper the raita. Else you can chill it till serving time and then temper just before serving.

Recipe Card for Ash Gourd Raita

Ash Gourd Raita Recipe

Swati

How to make Ash Gourd Raita(South Indian Style) | Poosanikai Pachadi Thayir Recipe | White Pumpkin Raita Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Cooling time for cooked Ash Gourd 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 2

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Pan to cook Ash Gourd
• Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Whisk
• Chopping Board

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ Cup Chopped Ash Gourd/Winter Melon
• 1 Cup Plain Curd/Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Grated Fresh Coconut
• 1-2 Green Chillies optional
• 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Jaggery Powder/Sugar
• Black Salt as required

For Tempering

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai
• 1 tsp Split Black Gram(skinned)/Dhuli Urad optional
• 8-10 Curry Leaves
• 1-2 tsp Oil

Instructions

 

• Cut a small piece and peel the ash gourd. Take out the seeds and the flesh from the center.
• Finely chop or grate ash gourd.
• Finely chop green chillies. Skip if making for kids,
  1-2 Green Chillies

Cook chopped Ash Gourd

• In a pan add about 1 cup water, add chopped ash gourd pieces. And boil for 5 minutes.
  ½ Cup Chopped Ash Gourd/Winter Melon
• Once the gourd pieces start turning soft, take out and strain out the water.
• Cool the vegetable completely.

Prepare Curd/Yogurt for Raita

• In a mixing bowl take yogurt/curd, add cumin powder, black salt, jaggery powder, 1 tbsp grated coconut.
  1 Cup Plain Curd/Yogurt, 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder, 1 tsp Jaggery Powder/Sugar, Black Salt, 2 tbsp Grated Fresh Coconut
• Mix curd to a smooth mix.
• Add gourd pieces, chopped green chillies, and mix.
  ½ Cup Chopped Ash Gourd/Winter Melon, 1-2 Green Chillies

Prepare tempering

• Heat oil in tadka pan or small pan.
  1-2 tsp Oil
• Add mustard seeds, once it crackle add lentils and then curry leaves. You can also add dry red chilli. I skipped adding it.
  1 tsp Mustard Seeds/Rai, 1 tsp Split Black Gram(skinned)/Dhuli Urad, 8-10 Curry Leaves
• Add the tempering to raita.
• Garnish with rest of the coconut(1 tbsp) and pomegranate arils(optional) and serve it with your meals or enjoy it just like that.
  2 tbsp Grated Fresh Coconut

Video

Notes

Take fresh curd/dahi for raita. Sour curd doesn't taste good and can upset the stomach also.

Skip green chillies if making for kids or if you also don't like

You can add dry red chilli in tadka. 

Add more coconut if you want more nutty coconut flavour in raita. 

Variations

Many people grind together fresh coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies and add to raita.

You can also add ash gourd pieces with tempering, cook for a few mins, and then add to the curd.

Or, simply grate ash gourd and add to raita.

Instead of tempering it you can simply add chaat masala and mint leaves and serve raita in North Indian style.

Add other vegetables(grated) like carrots, cucumber, beetroot.

Keyword Ash Gourd Raita Recipe, Poosanikai Raita Recipe

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Do try this delicious cooling Ash Gourd Raiata recipe. You and your family will surely love it.

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