Vegetables simmered in a midly flavoured gravy which is usually lentil based is perhaps the closest I can get to describing what a Kootu is. Kootus are the goodness of vegetables with the best combination and right proportion of spices that don’t attack your taste buds with the sourness of a sambar. Kootus come in very handy to answer most of these existential questions one needs to answer in the kitchen, like “What do I cook today?” or “Now what does one do with this vegetable that doesn’t even have a name?”. Kootus come in many avatars – there’s Poricha Kootu, Pal Kootu, Mor Kootu, Puli Kootu, Varutha Araitha Kootu, Araitha Vitta Kootu and Thenga Pal Kootu. And then for flavourings one can add or subtract from the basic spices, toast and grind, toast and simmer or soak and grind. The choice of lentils though usually Moong Dal, could also be Toor Dal or Channa Dal or a combination of dals.
Ingredients
- Moong Dal – 1/2 cup
- Vegetable/s – 200-250 gms
- Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
- Hing (asafoetida) – 1/4 tsp
- Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Ghee or Oil – 1 tsp
For flavouring, to be toasted and ground
- Urad Dal – 1 tsp
- Channa Dal – 1 tsp
- Coriander Seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Black Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
- Red Chillies – 2 nos.
- Whole Hing (asafoetida) – a small piece
- Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp (rounded)
- Ghee or Oil – 1 tsp
Method
- Toast all the ingredients for the flavouring paste except coconut in ghee/oil till the dals turn golden. Take off flame and add coconut and keep aside to cool. Blend into a smooth thick paste with a couple of tablespoons of water if required.
- Pressure Cook the Moong Dal in enough water. Par boil the vegetables with turmeric and hing in a microwave safe container.
- In a deep vessel, heat oil/ ghee pop the mustard seeds, add the vegetables (parboil at this stage if you’re not using the microwave). Add the moong dal followed by the paste. Mix well and simmer on a low flame till the kootu starts to bubble.
- Add salt, simmer for an additional minute and take off flame.
Other Recipe Marathoners:
- Ranji – Puttu with Kadala Curry
- Swati – Paneer Jalfrezi
- Bhags – Red Pepper Hummus
- Dhivya – Couscous dunked in vegetables
- Siri – Tindora Dondakaya
- Divya – Tomatillo Salsa
- Srivalli – Raw Mango Sevai
- Raaga – Ridge Gourd thuvayal
- Arundathi – Cook up Rice (National dish of Guyana)
NOW you are talking girl!!!! This is the kind I want, I absolutely will be trying this yummy! Thank you missy!:))
Mmm … serious comfort food 🙂
kootu curry looks really delcious..these basic simple recipe are sometimes the best to have with rice..love it:)
I make it the same way..nice one lakshmi
delicious kootu.
My favorite kootu. My choice is to eat this with thachu mammam 🙂
Wonderful and a must try. Would taste great with Vathakuzhambu I bet! or your creamy creamy curd rice too!
Your blog has very interesting choices of food. Very unique indeed!
I tried this today with chow-chow and my husband really loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.
[…] looks amazing. Vegetable curry a la Kooto, from The Yum Blog. And if you are really game, they also bring you Kashayam – a spicy, medicinal […]
It is really gr8 …. hmmmm
[…] Raaga has a tangy Peerkangai Toghayal Divya tosses her tomatilla salsa Lakshmi has a traditional Varuthu araitha kootu Ranji has decilious looking Puttu and kadala Dhivya has the appetizing Couscous with Moroccon […]