Amla mArIcha lavana guDAdikamulu/daNDigaa vaMDi goppa pasiMDi gariTe
vEDivEDidi vaDDiMche vEDi vEDi /nAti kUShmAnDa khaMDa kAMDaMbu lokate
“Seasoned generously with tamarind, black pepper, salt, jaggery, and other
condiments, the tender pieces of Kūṣmāṇḍa were cooked to perfection
and served piping hot with a golden ladle by a graceful maiden.”
Demera Veṅgaḷa Bhūpāla Kavi, in Bahulāśva Caritramu, celebrates an exquisite ash gourd preparation that harmoniously blended sweet, sour, and pungent flavours. Ash Gourd (Benincasa hispida; Sanskrit: Kūṣmāṇḍa) has largely disappeared from the table, surviving instead as a ritual object hung above doorways. Ayurveda extols it as a premier rasāyana, valued for nourishment, rejuvenation, longevity, and vitality.
The medieval culinary treatise Kṣema-Kutūhalam records a rich variety of Kūṣmāṇḍa preparations, reflecting the remarkable sophistication and diversity of pre-modern Indian gastronomy.
Kūṣmāṇḍa (Ash Gourd) Preparations
Kūṣmāṇḍa Curry: Peel, remove the soft core, cube the flesh, coat lightly with ghee, and cook like a dry brinjal curry.
Susvādu-Sundaram: Prepare Vēsavāram by mixing asafoetida, ginger, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, and coriander (1:2:4:8:16:32) with salt. Blend 1–2 spoonfuls with buttermilk, add ghee-roasted ash gourd cubes, and finish with a tempering to make a delicately spiced buttermilk stew.
Guḷitala: Shape the flesh into balls or thick slices, cook in ghee with jaggery until glazed, then season with roasted cumin and black pepper for a mildly spiced sweet.
Bharjita Sundarī: Coat slices or balls with ghee, season with asafoetida, salt, and spices, fry until golden, and dust with Vēsavāram.
Khaṇḍa Kūṣmāṇḍakam: Simmer thick slices in milk, then dip them in a syrup of ghee, sugar, black pepper, and cardamom to prepare a festive sweet.
Āmla Kūṣmāṇḍam: Lightly press salted ash gourd cubes, then toss with fresh ginger and lemon juice to make a refreshing salad.
Ash Gourd Rind Purée: Boil the rind until tender, and cook with Vēsavāram and Bengal gram flour, make it a puree and relish it.
Rājikā (Āsurī): Mix cooked ash gourd cubes with fresh yoghurt and a pinch of powdered mustard for a cooling raita.
Ash gourd is remarkably versatile. Besides the well-known vadiyams, it can replace bottle gourd in almost any curry, stew, pulusu, or sāmbār with little difference in taste. Available year-round, Kūṣmāṇḍa is one of the finest vegetables praised in both Ayurveda and traditional Indian gastronomy. Restoring it to the daily table would revive a rich culinary heritage while reclaiming one of nature’s most nourishing foods. Truly, Kūṣmāṇḍa is a blessing on the plate.
– Dr. G. V. Purnachand
