(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
- SAMBHAR POWDER – 1 TSP
- BLACK GRAM DAL – 1 TSP
- BENGAL GRAM DAL – 2 TSP
- RED CHILLY – 2
- 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 and add the oil. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the dals, asafoetida, broken red chilly and curry leaves to the tempering.
- Pour the tamarind mixture along with the chow chow and bring to a boil. Add the sambhar powder to the boiling mixture. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the mashed dal and bring to a boil with the required amount of salt.
- Add the coconut and allow to simmer for 3 -4 minutes.
- 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
- Fresh cooked peanuts can also be added.
