Winter Melon and Chayote in Spicy Lentil and Coconut Soup

Winter Melon is widely available year round  in California.  I developed an appetite for this vegetable when living in Tokyo, where it was known as Tougan.  Winter Melon is a staple vegetable in the Southern India. This vegetable was an important spiritual element during festivals.
It cooks in no time, is a natural diuretic and also a coolant to the body.

3/4 cup yellow lentils soaked for an hour
3 cups winter melon chunks
1 chayote squash cubed

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut or dessicated coconut
6-8 dried whole red chillies
1 small lemon sized tamarind

2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves optional
2 tsp coconut oil
1.5 tsp salt

Wash the lentils and cook them on stovetop with water just enough to cover them.
Boil the vegetable chunks in very little water,and do not add salt when boiling them. Squash and winter melon have ample water content in them and cook rapidly.  They should have an  al dente texture and not mushy.
Mix the boiled squashes with cooked lentils. Keep aside.

In a pan, dry roast the red chillies with few drops of oil.
Blend together the grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind adding water little by little to make a smooth paste.

Stir in the coconut paste with lentils and squash. Add salt. Boil the soup and simmer on medium flame for 10 mins.

Toast the mustard and curry leaves in coconut oil in a saucepan.  season the soup with the spices and serve hot with white or brown rice.

Such a soulful dish!!