Kootu Curry

This is one of the best classic Kerala dish to serve in for Sadhya. Kootu means  a combination of vegetable and lentil mixed and prepared, you can make this with  brown channa dal or chick peas and combination of vegetables like ash gourd, raw plantain, elephant yam.  Fresh ground coconut and spices make this dish yummy. As usual  its prepared in many varieties as you go to different parts of Kerala. I feel for sadhya I like to prepare this dish with brown channa dal and with elephant yam and that too I make it as  a dry preparation and we all at home love this way.

Ingredients :

Elephant Yam -  1 ½ cup cubed *
Black Chickpeas /Kadala : ¼  cup
Turmeric powder :  a pinch
Red chilly powder : ¼ or ½   tsp (keep your spice level)
Jaggery : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

 

*If the Yam takes a longer time to cook you can pressure cook it 50% and then do the process what I have said. We get good Yam here and don’t need pressure cook hence I follow this method.

For Grinding
Grated coconut : ½  cup
Cumin seeds : a pinch

 

For Seasoning:
Grated coconut : 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds : ¼  tsp
Dry red chillies : 2 nos
Curry leaves : 2 sprig
Coconut oil : 1tbsp

Method:

1. Soak Channa dal overnight and then pressure cook adding enough water and little salt

2. Grind together all the stuffs kept in the grinding masala to a fine thick paste

3. In a pot  throw in the Yam and the cooked channa with the left of water from the cooker and cook that till almost its done 70%

4. Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and the grounded masala and let it get cooked almost the raw smell and the water is evaporated and with that the yam should be cooked too.

5. Now in a kadai, add oil and let the mustard seeds splutter,  throw in the dry red chillies, curry leaves and grated coconut and roast it until  golden brown color.

6. Add the cooked yam and channa masala and mix well. Now add jaggery and nicely incorporate all the ingredients well. Keep it on the flame till its dry consistency. Add some curry leaves and a dash of coconut oil. Now you will see the kootu curry has turned into beautiful brown.

7. Just ready to serve with rice and especially good for a sadhya.  I am sure  you will enjoy making and eating this!

Latha

Sending this  to:

http://nivedhanams.blogspot.in/2012/08/taste-of-tropicscoconut.html

http://gourmetglobal.blogspot.com/

Onam Sadhya the grand fest : http://vigsha.blogspot.com/2012/08/onam-sadhya-grand-feast-event.html

http://www.ticklingpalates.com/2012/09/lets-cook-19-legumes-lentils.html