KOOTTU

Koottu is a part of every feast – it is prepared with ash gourd / bottle gourd and chana dal (kadala paruppu) and coconut. It tastes best with morkoottan and pulungari. It tastes good with sambar too but as sambar already has a lot of tuvar dal, it is better to avoid kootu with it as koottu also contains Bengal gram dal – the combo can produce a lot of gas.

Ingredients -

Ash gourd / bottle gourd – 600 gms – diced

Snake gourd – 100 gms – diced

Yam –100 gms – diced (½ cup) – pressure-cooked

Raw banana – 1 - diced

Peas (optional) – 1 tbsp

Carrot (optional) – 1 (diced)

Koorkka (optional) – 7-8 - diced

Bengal gram dal – 2 heaped tbsp – soaked in water for an hour and pressure – cooked.

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Red chilli – 2 pieces

Curry leaves - 8

Method

In a heavy bottomed pan add all the vegetables except yam, carrot and koorka.

Add 1 cup of water, turmeric and red chilli powders and sugar and salt.

Cook covered on low heat.

Add a little more water if needed for the vegetables to get cooked.

Pressure-cook the soaked dal, koorkka, carrot and yam with a pinch of turmeric powder and a little salt. Allow to cool.

Add the cooked dal, koorkka, carrot and yam to the rest of the vegetables.

Add grated coconut and stir well.

It should have a semi-solid consistency. If it is too dry, you can add the water of the cooked dal. If it is too watery, heat on high flame to evaporate the excess water.

Heat 1 tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds and urad dal and red chilli pieces. Before adding it to the koottu, add the curry leaves to it.

Tips

Instead of adding fresh coconut, you can also fry the grated coconut in a tsp of oil till it is light brown.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.