(THICK TANGY SOUTH INDIAN DAL WITH VEGETABLES)
SERVING -2
- CHOW CHOW – 1 BIG
- RED GRAM
- DAL/PIGEON PEA – 1/4 CUP
- TAMARIND – 1 MARBLE SIZE
- CORIANDER SEEDS – 2 TSP
- PEPPER CORN – 1/2 TSP
- BLACK GRAM DAL – 1 TSP
- BENGAL GRAM DAL – 2 TSP
- RED CHILLY – 3
- ASFOETIDA – 1/4 TSP
- MUSTARD SEEDS – 1 TSP
- COCONUT GRATED – 2 TSP
- SALT – REQUIRED
- SESAME OIL – 1 TSP
- CURRY LEAVES -FEW
METHOD
- Cook the chowchow such that it is soft. You can cook it an open pan which is preferable because you can control the extent of cooking.
- Cook the dal with a pinch of turmeric.
- Soak tamarind in water and extract the pulp.
- Take a heavy bottomed pan .add a little oil and roast the coriander seeds, pepper .red-chilly and 3/4 th tsp. of black gram dal till the dal is golden brown.
- To the hot pan add the coconut gratings and give it a sauté.
- Cool the roasted mixture and grind it to a smooth paste and mix with the tamarind extract.
- Take a heavy bottomed pan and add the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the remaining dals, asafoetida and curry leaves to the tempering.
- Pour the tamarind mixture along with the chow chow and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the mashed dal and bring to a boil with the required amount of salt.
- The kootu should be semi solid in consistency. If not add a slurry of rice flour to thicken it. Remove from the stove and serve along with hot rice.
NOTE
- Vegetables that can be used in this preparation are
- Chowchow
- Brinjal
- Ash gourd
- Banana stem
- You can add soaked and cooked channa or any dry pulse along with the vegetables
