Many days the staple diet at home, when I was growing up, used to be Pumpkin Molagootal. I guess it was cooked so often as it was pretty easy to make, uses less ingredients, and since the main vegetble is Pumpkin, its a very healthy preparation. On a day when you would want to eat healthy and finish cooking without a fuss, Molagootal would be an easy option. Goes very well with some thing tangy like Inji Pulikachal, Brinjal Puli Pachadi, Vendekkai Thayir Pachadi, Maavadu, Maanga Curry or any kind of pickles too specially lemon. Since it can be had with so many sides, every side dish, almost makes you feel like you have made a completly different menu combination.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of cubed pieces of pumpkin and cucumbers.

A pinch of Turmeric.

1/2 spoon of Red Chilli Powder.

Salt.

1/2 spoon of Fresh/Dessicated Coconut.

1 spoon of Jeera.

1/2 cup of cooked toor dhal.

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil, Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

• Place the chopped vegetables in a wide vessel. Add 1/2 cup of water, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and cook it in the pressure cooker for just one whistle.
• Drain out the water and save in a container. Put the cooked veggies on to a kadai and place on the stove.
• Grind fresh coconut with jeera using  this water saved from cooking the vegetables , and make a smooth paste. Set aside.
• Add ground paste, cooked and mashed toor dhal, a little more salt, hing, curry leaves and allow to boil. Adjust the water a little bit if you feel that the consistency is way too thick.
• In a seasoning ladle, add 2 spoons of coconut oil, mustard, curry leaves, broken urad dhal and pour over the Molagootal.
• Mix with rice and use any of the following sides: Inji Pulikachal, Brinjal Puli Pachadi, Vendekkai Thayir Pachadi, Maavadu, Maanga Curry, Lemon Pickle, Nelikkai Oorgai etc.
• Each combination would be different and delicious!!!!

HINT:

Various other vegetable combinations could be used to make:

Cabbage and Peas Molagootal.

Pumpkin & Chayote Molagootal etc.