Olan

Olan

This is one important dish in kerala sadhya.I have seen many recipes for olan. Some use yellow pumpkin, cow peas along with ash gourd. But I never use pumpkin or cow peas, as I don’t like them. But I bet you , olan made just with ash gourd also taste good. Usually olan is seasoned by drizzling coconut oil. But here, I temper it with mustard seeds and red chillies.

Ash gourd– 400 g (cut in to cubes)
Green chilies - 3-4(slit)
Small onion – 4
Fenugreek seeds- 1/8 tsp
Grated coconut- 2 ½ cups
(Take one cup of thick milk and 1½ cups of thin milk)
Mustard seed- ½ tsp
Curry leaves –1-2 sprigs
Whole dry red chilly - 2( break it in to 2 pieces)
Coconut oil- 2 tsp

Pressure cook ash gourd, curry leaves, green chillies, small onion, fenugreek seeds and salt till one whistle. You don’t need to add water, as the ash gourd will give away the water while cooking. Be careful not to over cook.
Add thin milk and simmer in low heat for 3-4 minutes
Now add thick milk and simmer in low heat for few seconds and switch off the gas. Do not boil after adding the thick milk as it gets curdled.

Heat oil, splutter the mustard seeds and then add curry leaves and whole dry red chillies.
Now add this to the curry and mix well.