5 Exciting Dishes To Prepare With Ash Gourd

Producer: Mehak Pal Editor: Manuj Yadav

Ash Gourd Juice

Start by washing the melon, peeling it, removing its seeds, and cutting it into small pieces. Blend the pieces until smooth, then strain the juice into a glass. Enhance the flavor by adding some lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.

Thoran

Ensure you wash, peel, and de-seed the melon before use. Chop it into cubes and heat coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, and when they crackle, add half a spoon of cumin seeds. Once the cumin sizzles, add finely sliced onions and sauté on low heat. Then, add curry leaves and chopped chillies followed by the melon. Season with turmeric powder and salt. Finally, garnish the dish with grated coconut.

Smoothie

For a creamy and delightful smoothie, blend small pieces of ash gourd with cashews, milk powder, rose petals, and honey. For an added crunch, consider garnishing it with chia seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Raita

Grate the ash gourd and cook it for a few minutes on high flame before letting it cool. Meanwhile, grind pieces of coconut, green chillies, and cumin seeds to create a paste. Mix the paste with the cooked ash gourd pieces and yogurt. In a separate vessel, temper mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, and hing in a tablespoon of oil. Add this flavorful topping to the curd mixture.

Halwa

Indulge in the delightful taste of ash gourd halwa by grating the melon and cooking it in a pan until the water evaporates. Add a cup of jaggery powder and a few strands of saffron. Stir until the jaggery dissolves completely and the mixture thickens. Add a generous amount of ghee, along with cashews and almonds. Remove from the flame when the mixture starts to release from the sides. Sprinkle some cardamom powder and add raisins for an extra burst of flavour.