There are innumerable health benefits for this vegetable. But memories about this recipe runs back to my college days.I was doing my master of Economics in Kerala that time.I have a friend called Lakshmi who studied with me from Ist grade.We used to have exams in the month of April-May in college .Since we lived in Factory quarters allotted mainly for managerial category,I have to come to the nearby town Perumbavoor to meet my friends and of course my best friend Lakshmi.My mother used to drop me in the morning in her house and we will do combined study and will have lunch in her house and return back home in the evening.Lakshmi's mother was a music teacher and since it was holiday time for school kids she will have music classes till 12.As is the case ever we will be hungry all the time when we have to study.So we will be waiting for that 12'o clock so that she will start cooking. She will come and sit near us with a poosanikkai or big cucumber and a big coconut.She will cut one full vessel of the vegetable and grate the whole coconut.Next 15 minutes she will be grinding the coconut in the Ammi ,that time itself the taste of the gravy seasoned in fresh coconut oil will make me more hungry.While grinding coconut she would have put the vegetables along with onion in the stove (viragu aduppu) so that when the grinding is over the vegetables would have cooked.she will make the gravy in a big vessel. That will be the only item made for lunch along with chutta papad.I have no words to explain the taste for the hungry stomach.The rice in Kerala will be big but no matter the the taste of the gravy overtook everything. So even today whenever I cook this My memories go back to those golden days.It is nearly 20 years I met her.she was in Bangalore that time.Since there was not much communication facilities like mobile phones or networking sites,we couldn't maintain our contacts.That is the usual case of people of our generation.Today you guys are blessed to have so much means to have contacts with your friends.I will be very happy if I can get her contacts back through this post.

                                                               Here is the recipe.I don't know whether it will tickle the taste buds of all like it did for me.But friends please give it a try and respond with your comments.

I have made it like koottu.she used to make it little watery like gravy.Anyway both will be aw some.

                                                  This vegetable is widely available.I have seen this poosanikkai cut into small portions and neatly wrapped in paper in Korean stores in US.

Ingredients

Possanikkai -cut pieces 2 cups

onion minced-1

Thick curd-1 tablespoon

small onion minced-10

coconut oil-2 table spoons

To grind

Cocunut grated -2 table spoons for koottu for gravy you can use even a full coconut depends on qty needed

cumin seeds-1 table spoon

green chili-4

Procedure

                              Cook the poosanikkai pieces in a kadai adding a cup of water, a teaspoon of turmeric powder,onion and little salt. Once the pieces are well cooked add the grounded paste.If you want it as gravy mix the grounded paste in two cups of water and add.Add the salt needed along with a table spoon of fresh coconut oil.let the gravy boil for 5 minutes. Add 1 or two table spoons of curd just before switching off. Switch off the stove.Now season the curry in a separate kadai .For seasoning in a table spoon of coconut oil add a teaspoon of cumin seeds(small jeera) and curry leaf.Pour it on top of the gravy.Don't mix it now.Mix while serving.