Poosanikai thayir pachadi, is a refreshing and tangy accompaniment in a south Indian lunch with ash gourd. I have shared an easy method you can whip up in minutes to complete your meals.

You can make this any time of the year, but especially during summer when you need to consume a lot of water rich vegetables. Also an excellent part of south Indian meals or an Onam Sadhya.
Check out my beetroot pachadi recipe and vendakkai thayir pachadi in this website.
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I learnt this easy Poosanikai thayir pachadi recipe from my SIL here in SG. This is very very easy to prepare, yet makes an wonderful accompaniment for sambar rice or any other rice dishes.
So I wanted to blog this recipe for long time. All the recipes I learnt from her are delicious but made with less effort! Try this with any stuffed parathas, it would be nice too.
Poosanikai in English is called as ash gourd as well as white pumpkin.
It is called kumbalanga in Malayalam and vellai poosani in Tamil.

Step by step images
- Firstly remove the seeds, centre soft part of the ash gourd and peel off the skin too. Grate it.

2. Then, take it in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 4 minutes in high. Make sure you stir in between twice.

3. Meanwhile, grind the items given under 'To grind' table to a smooth paste and mix it with the cooked ash gourd.

4. After that, once cooled down, mix in the curd.

5. Lastly, temper with the items given under 'To temper' table and mix well.

Serve as an accompaniment for rice! We had it with Poondu kuzhambu,Paruppu thogayal…blissssssssss😍.

Recipe card
Poosanikai thayir pachadi recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Ash gourd/poosanikai grated
- ½ cup Curd
- Salt
To grind
- ¼ cup Coconut grated
- 3 Green chillies
- ½ teaspoon Jeera/cumin seeds
- Water - as needed
To temper
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 2 pinches Asafoetida
Instructions
- Remove the seeds and centre soft part of the ash gourd and peel off the skin too. Grate it.
- Take grated ash gourd in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 4 minutes in high.
- Make sure you stir in between twice.
- Grind Coconut, Green chillies, cumin seeds, little Water to a smooth paste and mix it with the cooked ash gourd.
- After cooled down,mix in the curd.
- Temper with the items given under 'To temper' and mix well.





jeyashrisuresh says
such a wonderful thayir pachadi and a perfet recipe for this hot summer too. love that cute blue bowl and clicks are nice
Radhika says
simple. quite perfect for the summer so that we get to spend less time next to a hot stove. Thanks Raji.
Kalyani says
wow the pachadi looks so tempting and very simple one ...... lovely pictures by the way !!!!!
Divya Kudua says
Yum--perfect for summer.We have a Konkani version for this which is called Kuvale[ash gourd] Sassam,only difference being,the ash gourd is cooked in a saucepan and instead of Jeera,Mustard seeds[sassam in Konkani]is added to the ground masala.Its been ages since I had this--your pics look great,this would be perfect with a spicy paratha!!
Sharmilee! :) says
Ash gourd with curd sounds like a nice idea..looks creamy n yummy..perfect combo for sambar rice
Prathibha says
This summer I m trying raitha with each n every veggie,it has bcum more than essential...loved d first click..have u taken this pic in d night by any chance raks?
Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal says
I am going to bookmark it, I prepare my cucumber raita/pachhadi in a similar way, but without coconut ground mix. So, I will try this variation, looks very tempting 🙂
Sunanda says
Looks so soothing and delicious.. perfect for this summer..
Sunanda's Kitchen
Shanthi says
Yummy and good for health in this summer. Perfect coolant for the body.
Swathi says
Looks delicious perfect for the summer wheather.
Happy Cook / Finla says
This is one of my fav veggie, buti have not had it like this dish, how i wish i got this vegg here. Looks delish.
Suparna says
Wow!loved it, beautiful clicks 😛
Nithya says
This should be really good as it is 🙂 wish I can eat a cup of it now 🙂
Jay says
delicious version..
tried your vermicelli biryani recipe..came out awesome ...thanks for sharing..:)
Tasty Appetite
Event: Letz Relishh Ice Creams
Priya says
Love this pachadi, beautiful and healthy definitely..
Laavanya says
I've not tried pachadi with pooshnikai - love that picture!
Now Serving says
could eat all of it in one sitting just by myself! pictures sure have the desired drool effect 🙂
JishasKitchen says
wow..thats one very tempting clicks....looks very delicious..!!
Suja says
Wow wonderful pachadi dear..tempting clicks.
Shanavi says
Oh yeah, def..tasty, the grind items are similar to what we use for mor kulambu....I can foresee the taste ..
Premalatha Aravindhan says
Nice version of Pachadi,perfect for this climate...Sure the taste will be delicious...
Nags says
singapore heat-kku super combination!
Sathya Sankar says
Wonderful pachadi and lovely clicks!
SouthIndianHome says
Delicious pachadi with poosanikai
South Indian Recipes
Vardhini says
Lovely pictorial. I love the bowl. We make mor kuzhambu with poosani.
Vardhini
VardhinisKitchen
cook from doha says
pachidi looks awesome...........
Chitra says
Never used ashgourd in my cooking. will buy this in next time shopping 🙂
Kurinji says
Pachadi looks delicious and perfect for this summer.
Kurinjikathambam
lata raja says
Last time my friend made a thayir pachchidi with red pumpkin...I have a picture and not drafted the recipe:( I think it is time to share that one having seen this wonderfully done pachchidi!
kaveri says
Yummy pachadi...beautiful clicks
Priti says
Never had ash gourd ..I do same thing with cabbage
ChitraKrishna says
A small appreciation to ur fabulous blog. Please collect it here http://karaikudicuisine.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-first-award.html.
swapna says
Never tried with ashgourd....this looks perect!!yummy!!
VineelaSiva says
Yummy and easy pachadhi.Never tried anything with ashgourd.
Rekha shoban says
interesting...i make only okra pachadi...ashgourd pachadi looks yummy n creamy!nice click!
Sush says
We make something similar. We add a bit of coconut to it & call it hashi. Tastes great as a side dish with rasam or sambar. Beautiful clicks Raks.
Saranya says
Thaiyr pachadi..so..soothing..
Saranya
http://www.foodandtaste.blogspot.com/
Hari Chandana says
Wowwww... Refreshing and tempting recipe.. looks absolutely perfect Raji.. amazing clicks as usual.. thanks for sharing.. 🙂
Chitra says
nice and a new way to do pachadi...
aipi says
Really nice n fresh recipe ~ loved the coconut in there !
US Masala
Mahi says
Lovely colour Raji! Shall try sometime this week.
Vaanisree says
Havent tried this pachadi before.. will surely try it this weekend. seems like it wil taste great with curd... thanks for giving one out for the summer.
Sushma Mallya says
Looks really tempting Raji ...I love Ash gourd but don't find here in uk:(
GEETHA ACHAL says
Love it ...Wonderful clicks...Thanks for sharing...
Smitha says
my MIl makes this often ...I love it and also we can have this as raita!
Aruna Manikandan says
looks healthy and delicious dear 🙂
sowmya's creative saga says
looks delicious and am going to try this one soon..have tried with yellow pumpkin once..tastes good too--http://www.creativesaga.com/2009/02/pumpkin-raitha.html
Ramya Bala says
Very tempting n delicious raji 🙂
Pavithra Kodical says
Creamy and delicious pachadi..Perfect on a sunny day..we make something similar with potatoes.
Plateful says
Pachadi's are so simple yet delicious. That first pic is a beauty!
Shobha Kamath says
Lovely pachadi and picture too !
Cham says
This one sounds great for summer and for spicy rice.
Jayanthi says
While grinding coconut green chillies and cumin seeds if you add one or two shallots and a clove of garlic the flavor will be just amazing and it will take this pachadi to a whole new level.
Raks Anand says
I do that for kootu, never tried for pachadi, will try out. Thanks