Recently I realized that I missed out one of the famous and favourite sadhya recipes in my posts.
Kootu means mix in Malayalam. As the name says it is a mix of bengal gram and some special vegetables like raw banana/plantain and yam. Yellow pumpkin also can be used. In my eyes, roasting grated coconut at the end is the important step to be taken care of. Rest are all easy. Try it out !!
Ingredients:
- Channa (Kadala) (bengal gram) : 100g
- Raw Banana/plantain : 200g
- Yam (Chena) : 200g
- Jeera Powder/Cumin seed powder : 1 teaspoon
- Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
- Pepper Powder : 1 teaspoon
- Curry Leaves : 5-10 leaves
- Water :3-4 cups
- Salt: 1 teaspoon (to taste)
- Grated coconut : 2 cups.
For frying
- Coconut Oil: 4 tablespoon
- Mustard : 1/2 teaspoon
- Onion (small) : 3-4 nos. (cut in to small pieces)
- Red Chilli : 2 nos.
- Curry leaves : 5-10 leaves
- Grated coconut : 1 cup
Step1:
Wash thoroughly and soak bengal gram in plenty of water and keep it overnight.
Step2: Cut yam and plantain to small cubes as shown in the picture.
Step3:
In a pressure cooker, add bengal gram from step1, and 2 cups of water, turmeric and 1/4 of salt. Keep this on a flame/heat and wait for 2 whistles. Open only after 10-15 minutes
Step4:
Add plantain and yam into the pressure cooker (step3) add 1 cup of water, grated coconut, pepper powder, chilli powder , cumin seeds powder, curry leaves and rest of the salt and mix well. It may require some more water depending on the type of bengal gram. Add one more cup if required.
Step 5:
Heat the pressure cooker again to get 2-3 whistles and open it after 15-20 minutes.
Step6:
Heat a small pan and add oil as specified in the “for frying” section. Once oil is hot add mustard and wait for it to pop up. Add rest of the frying ingredients [curry leaves, red chilli, small onion, grated coconut] and keep stirring. Once coconut turns its color to dark brown, pour this mixture to mixture from Step5. Mix well.
Kootu curry is ready to serve !
