Tuesday, January 20, 2015

MIXED VEGETABLE KOOTU

MIXED VEGETABLE KOOTU


Kootu is a dish made of vegetables and lentils popular in Tamil Nadu and Kerala which is more thick than sambar yet is not semi-solid.

Usually we have kootu made of a single vegetable such as cauliflower, brinjal, cucumber and so on.. Today's presentation is a Mixed Vegetable Kootu in which I have used cauliflower, green peas, carrots, potato and tomato. I think this makes a lovely combination with either rice or even with rotis.




Ingredients:
  • Cauliflower florets, 2 cups
  • Green Peas, 1/3 cup * used Frozen Green Peas
  • Carrot, 1/4 cup
  • Potato, medium-sized, 1
  • Onion, finely chopped, 1
  • Tomato, 1 
  • Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
  • Tur Dal, 1/2 cup
  • Tamarind Extract, from small lemon sized tamarind
  • Salt, to taste
For the Ground Masala Powder: 
  • Dry Red Chillies, (Byadgi), 4 
  • Black Pepper Corns, 10
  • Coriander Seeds, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
  • Channa Dal, 1 tbsp
  • Urad Dal, 1/2 tbsp
  • Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
For Seasoning:
  • Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
  • Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
  • Curry Leaves, a sprig
  • Asafoetida, (Hing), 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash the vegetables, then dice the potato and carrot.
Break the cauliflower into florets and chop the tomato.
Finely chop the onion. Keep aside.
Soak the tamarind in warm water to extract its juice. Keep aside.
Wash and cook the tur dal in a pressure cooker for about 2-3 whistles till soft. Keep aside.
Dry roast the red chillies, pepper corns, coriander seeds, channa dal, and urad dal in a heavy bottomed vessel on low flame till you get a nice aroma
To this add the coconut gratings and roast for a couple of minutes more
Allow this to cool then grind it in a blender to a fine powder. Keep aside this ground masala powder.
In a kadhai, add oil and when it gets heated add mustard seeds.
When they splutter, add the curry leaves and asafoetida and saute
Next add the chopped onion and saute
Add the chopped tomato and cook till it becomes soft
Add the turmeric powder, the chopped cauliflower, potato, carrot and green peas and cook covered on low/medium flame, adding a little water, till they are almost cooked
Add salt to taste and mix well
Pour the tamarind extract and a cup of water and cook till the raw smell of the tamarind goes
Add the ground masala powder that you have prepared
Lastly, add the cooked tur dal and water as required to adjust the consistency, mix well and boil till the cooked vegetables, ground masala powder and the cooked dal are fully blended
Serve hot with rice.








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