Kootu Curry Recipe-How to make Kootu Curry

Kootu Curry is a delectable veg preparation made as a mix of different vegetables and legume and traditionally served on Onam Sadhya. It’s a semi-dry side dish that pairs up nicely with rice, dal.

We have been feeling distressed looking at the painful visuals that are coming out from Kerala showing the grim situation on the ground. While we were excited and happy when we began the series, the deteriorating flood situation has resulted into lot of agony and pain for us too. We decided to do our bit by contributing to Chief Minister’s distress relief fund (CMDRF) and urged our viewers to do the same. I would urge you to check this video and help in whatever way you can. Remember our help can go a long way in rebuilding Kerala, so no matter how minuscule that amount may be, go ahead and contribute.

While the fundraising campaigns are gaining momentum, what amazes me is that a counter-campaign is being put up to desist people from contributing. The other day, I received a viral audio clip on my WhatsApp Group which intended to tell the audience about the ground reality of the fund-raising campaign. The voice in the audio tried to tell us how the flood has impacted only rich and affluent sections of Kerala and poor people are unaffected. So we should not give into the calls of contribution because nobody in Kerala needs the money. I was flabbergasted at the end of 2 mins clip, pondering over the mental state of the person who decided to record this message. This for me reflected an extreme form of cruelty-a tortuous imagination of a twisted mind. Who in his sane mind can make a statement- ‘Only rich and affluent are affected by flood’.

I would urge you a thousand times to not give into these callous, insensitive forwards and just contribute. Contribute to keep the humanity in you alive. Contribute for yourself. Do not trick yourself by the argument that ‘Oh-but-ours-is-a-corrupt-nation-and-all-that-money-will-go-down-the-corruption-hole’. Do your bit and let the Karma take care of rest.

Kootu Curry is our penultimate recipe for our latest Onam Sadhya series that we have been celebrating on our YouTube Channel. Check out our other Sadhya recipes.

Kootu means to mix. Kootu Curry is a delectable veg preparation made as a mix of different vegetables and legume and traditionally served on Onam Sadhya. It’s a semi-dry side dish that pairs up nicely with rice, dal. In this recipe, we have used steamed Black Chana and mixed it with Yam and Plantains and finally cooked with a ground coconut paste. This seems like a simple veg preparation but wait for the Tadka- a flavorful tempering of spices and grated fresh Coconut which elevates this dish to the next level. All the magic is created by the tempering which transforms it from a ‘simple preparation’ to a ‘wow dish’.

Make this delicious veg preparation (I must admit, it’s my personal favorite) for your Sadhya menu and share your feedback with us in comment section below.

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Kootu Curry Recipe-How to make Kootu Curry

Prep time:  30 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  55 mins

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

• 1 Cup=200 gms Black Chickpeas-soaked overnight, drained (or soak minimum for 3-4 hours)
• ¾th Cup=150 gms Yam-peeled and cleaned, cut into cubes of 1 cm
• 2 Raw Plantain-peeled and cleaned, cut into cubes of 1 cm
• ¼ th tsp Turmeric Powder
• ¼ th tsp Black Peppercorns-coarsely crushed
• Salt
• 2 Dry Red Chilies
• For Coconut paste: - (8-10)
• 1 Cup=100 gms grated fresh Coconut
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• ¼ th Cup Water
• For Tadka: -
• 5-6 Curry Leaves
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tbsp Urad Dal (Split Black Gram)
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 3 Dry Red Chilies
• ½ Cup=50 gms grated Fresh Coconut

Instructions

1. We will start with cooking soaked Black Chickpeas in a pressure cooker. Traditionally, Chickpeas were cooked for Kootu Curry in an earthen cookware. For 1 Cup Chickpeas, add 1½ Cup water. Pressure Cook. We will Pressure cook until 3 whistles on medium heat.
2. We will make a Coconut Paste. Grind Coconut, Cumin Seeds and ¼th water into a fine and thick paste. Thick and fine Coconut paste is ready. Let's start making Kootu Curry now
3. In a large pan, add boiled chickpeas. Add Plantain cubes and Yam cubes. Add 1½ Cup water, Turmeric Powder, crushed Black Peppercorns, dry Red Chilies and mix well. Reduce the heat and cook the vegetables covered on low heat
4. We have cooked Vegetables covered for 15 mins on low heat. Yam pieces have cooked really well. Add Salt to taste and mix well. Cook on medium heat until we get rid of the excess moisture.
5. We have cooked Kootu Curry for 5-6 mins on medium heat and the moisture has reduced considerably. Add Coconut paste and mix well. Switch off the heat and prepare for a flavorful Tadka
6. In another pan, heat 3 tbsp Cooking Oil. Add Urad Dal and cook until Urad Dal becomes brown in color. Add Mustard Seeds, Dry Red Chilies and Curry Leaves and fry for a min. Add grated fresh Coconut and fry until it becomes brown in color. Coconut becomes brown in 3-4 mins. Let's pour this Tadka on Kootu Curry
7. Mix the Tadka well with Kootu Curry. Kootu Curry is ready to be served now

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