Carrot Chayote Poricha Kootu

This is a very simple kootu, flavored with a mildly spiced coconut paste, accentuated with sweetness from the carrot. Yep, you wouldn’t know this kootu has carrot if I didn’t tell you. The carrot adds a bright orangey yellow hue to the kootu, plus adding a mellow sweetness to it.

Ingredients:

2 chayotes, peeled and chopped

1 cup split moong dal

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

Grind to a paste:

2 carrots, chopped fine

3 green chillies

1/4 cup coconut

1/2 tsp cumin

Seasoning:

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp urad dal

1 tsp channa dal

1 red chilly broken

curry leaves

Method:

Place the split moong dal, turmeric and salt in a saucepan. Let it come to a boil and cook until the dal is soft, but still has a bite to it. Add the chayote and onion to the dal and cook covered another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grind all the ingredients under ‘grind to paste’ and add the paste to the mixture. Cook for another 10 minutes, until everything comes together.

Make the seasoning, by heating the oil to a smoking point. Splutter the mustard and add the urad and channa dal. Add the red chilly and curry leaves. Add the tadka to the kootu and serve.

Verdict: This kootu can be served as a side dish or served spooned on top of rice. It goes really well with a side of papad and pickle. A great way to get more veggies in …without you even knowing it.

Sending this to the ‘Dish Name Starts with C’ Event.