PANI KAKHARU RAI (ASH GOURD WITH MUSTARD GRAVY)

Ingredients :-

Pani Kakharu (Ash Gourd) - 2 cup (Peel and cut into small-thin pieces)

Potato - 1 no. (Cut in small cubes) (optional)

Nigella/Black Onion seeds (Kala Jeera) - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder(Haldi) - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Curd - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2-3 tsp

For Mustard Paste:- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

                                Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

                                Garlic cloves - 5-7 pods

                                Green Chillies - 3-4 nos. (as per your taste)

                                Vinegar - 3-4 tsp

For Poppy seed Paste:- Poppy seeds (Posto) - 1 tsp

                                     Char Magaz (Mixed Melon seeds) - 1/2 tsp

                                     Ginger -1/2 inch

                                     Soak poppy seeds and char magaz in water for 20 minutes.

Grind the above ingredients and make a smooth and fine paste.

Method :-

Heat Oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and black onion seeds (kala jeera), when it starts crackling add ash gourd (Pani kakharu) and potato to it. Saute and fry for 5 minutes. Add mustard paste and poppy seeds paste to the pan and mix well. Don't fry more than 5 minutes, otherwise the mustard paste will taste a bitter. Add haldi, salt and 1 cup water to it and cover it in a low flame. Let it cook properly for 10-15 minutes till the ash gourd well cooked. Next add 1/4 cup of curd and a little bit of sugar. Mix it well. Add two green chillies to it for better taste and cover for more 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and serve with rice or roti...