Traditional Kerala ash gourd and red cowpea curry in coconut milk — a mildly seasoned, gentle dish that anchors the Onam Sadya.
Ingredients
2 cups white pumpkin ash gourd
1 cup red cowpeas cooked
2 cups coconut milk
4 green chillies slit
Coconut oil
Curry leaves
Salt
Method
Prepare ash gourd: Peel 300g white ash gourd. Remove seeds. Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
Soak red cowpeas: Wash half cup red cowpeas and soak in water 4 hours. Drain.
Cook cowpeas: Pressure cook cowpeas with 1.5 cups water for 4 whistles until tender but holding shape. Drain.
Make coconut milk: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut with 1 cup warm water. Strain for thick milk. Repeat with more water for thin coconut milk.
Cook ash gourd: In a wide pan cook ash gourd cubes in 1 cup thin coconut milk with half tsp turmeric, 3 slit green chillies and salt on medium heat 10-12 minutes until tender.
Add cowpeas: Add cooked cowpeas to the ash gourd. Mix gently.
Reduce heat to minimum: Lower heat before adding thick coconut milk.
Add thick coconut milk: Add thick coconut milk. Stir gently on very low heat 3-4 minutes. Do not boil.
Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 1 sprig curry leaves and 2 dried red chillies.
Finish and serve: Pour tempering over olan and mix gently. Olan is mild, white and creamy — almost the simplest dish in the sadhya. Serve as part of Onam Sadhya on banana leaf.