Manglorean style curd curry

Alay kajipu

This is something that has been made in my house ever since we were kids. Especially around summers, because of its cooling properties. But to be very honest I don't make it as often as I should. its a fairly simple curry but very fulfilling and not to forget healthy and very light. its perfect for those summer days but I would recommend it thru the year if something light and tasty is what your looking for.

I still remember an instance while I was really young maybe 5-6 years old, my mummy put this in front of me and I asked her what it was and the minute I heard curd curry, I had this horrible expression over my face. For those who don't know me let me tell you, I don't eat milk products. Not because I'm lactose intolerant but just because since  young age I cant stand the taste of milk. I just throw up. Over the years my mother and I have tried to incorporate milk into my diet but it hasn't really worked. So I don't drink milk, curd, paneer and cheese. As a child I had trouble even with ghee and butter but over the years I have managed to eat it to a limited extent in different forms, same goes for curd. I will eat a curd salad with a biryani, but no curd in bowl. Majjige/butter milk is ok provided its made with ginger,and dhaniya etc. I  don't eat cheese or mayo aswell, in pizzas cheese is fine since it gets baked. My maternal Granny had the same problem so everybody in my house just sort of understood my situation. So you can understand my plight the minute I heard curd curry, but my mum never took a no as an answer, so I was forced to try it and surprisingly I loved it. It was and achievement for me that very day that I could stomach something made with curd, my sister was a total milk devotee so I felt a little weird not being the same. But not on that day.

In this curry you could use dry red chillis, I do sometimes but this time I just used green.

Now for the explanation regarding the tamarind. I generally don't cook with exact measurements and with everyday cooking I really don't follow a recipe so for the tamarind I don't have a exact measurement. But what you could do is pick a tablespoon that you have in your kitchen not the measuring spoon set please. Now just take some tamarind without seeds and place It over the spoon and sort of make a tiny mountain. That should just do the trick. Since we don't want the curry too sour, and it does get a little help from the curd aswell.

This curry isn't of a thick consistency it will be a little runny. So don't over boil it just to reduce the quantity.

Ingredients

 1/2 kg ash gourd/ winter melon (I call it white pumpkin)

green chilli 2-3

curd 4-5 tablespoon

turmeric powder 1 teaspoon

1 1/2 teaspoon jeera/cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

grated coconut 1/4 cup

tamarind 1 tablespoon heaped(look up for explaination)

salt to taste

for seasoning

oil 1 1/2 tablespoon oil

mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

3-4 garlic cloves crushed with skin

curry leaves 8-10

Method

Peel the ash gourd and make big cubes. Cook with sufficient water and salt until done.

In the smallest mixer grinder jar put in the turmeric, green chilli, mustard seeds, jeera, coconut, curd, and tamarind. Grind into a fine paste.

Once the ash gourds cooked pour in the ground masala and let it cook on medium flame, check to taste If you need to adjust the curry. Boil for about 8-10 minutes until the masalas cooked well.

Heat some oil in a small pan, once hot put in the mustard seeds once they finish popping add the garlic fry for 3-5 seconds then curry leaves and let it fry for 2-3 seconds then pour this mixture into the curry. Boil for 2 more minutes with lid on high flame and then take off heat.

Serve with steamed rice.