Chayote & Lentils Curry /Chow Chow Kootu

I  grew up eating a whole lot of simple, healthy & hearty food-- My mom always believed in the power of fresh vegetables and the daily menu would have a variety of veggies packed in simple but eternally satisfying forms. I owe my love for all veggies & fruits to her - in her own persistent but indulging ways amma incorporated them in to our diet - yup even bitter-gourd was supremely blissful when she cooked ! 

So the kootu which is a very satisfying and omni-present dish in South Indian Cuisine ( it even finds its way in to marriage menus !!!), is one dish that was a regular in my mom's kitchen.Not only is the dish comforting & easy to make but also having picky eaters at home, the dish promises to lend a wholesome appeal !

When lentils & vegetable/(s) have a happy union, the resulting dish is  hearty & comforting ! Kootu  a medley of this marriage has its origins in Tamilnadu (South India) and literally means to add (கூட்டு) - veggies are added to the lentils and are seasoned & tempered to suit one's palate. The dish gets its semi-solid consistency to the ground spice & coconut mix. There are many regional versions to the dish and even in my hearth I bring a few subtle changes to the dish every time. For instance, this version of the Chayote Kootu has tomato to bring a tangy flavour to the dish; at times I add a good spoon of the tamarind paste instead of tomatoes or entirely skip both of them to have a different tasting dish altogether. Thus kootu can be played around to get a medley of flavours to suit your taste-buds. !

Now Coming to the veg part of the kootu, either one vegetable or a combination of two or more can be added to have a hearty kootu. The lentils are generally moong dal or a combination of moong dal & toor dal.

In today's Recipe, Chayote the hero of the dish gives a mild n refreshing taste to the kootu and is defenitely a family pleaser. Chayote is a pear shaped fruit eaten as a vegetable and is versatile.Originating in Central america, it is also known as vegetable pear/pear squash/chow chow/ chou chou/சௌ சௌ and is abundant in Amino Acids & Vitamin C . It can be eaten raw (for instance in salads) or cooked. The stems, leaves & tuber part of the roots of this plants are also edible and are said to contain medicinal uses. Though the skin & seed of the chayote are also edible, a few varieties of it is prickly & hard skinned - you can gently scrape of the skin before use. It is fat-free, cholesterol- free and is very low in calories - all the right reasons to gorge on it !! 

Now for the recipe :-

The star ingredients:-

• Chayote Squash - 2 (washed,peeled &cored ) - peel it if skin prickly or hard
• Moong Dal - 1 cup - washed & soaked for some time 

For the spicy -coconut paste :-

• Coconut - a few pieces/grated
• Black peppercorn - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1
• Red Chilli & Green chilli - 1 of each - to taste
• Roasted bengal Gram - 1 to 2 tbsp

Seasoning & Tempering :-

• Coconut oil - 1 tsp 
• Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - a few
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste

Others :-

• Tomato - 1 - cubed
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - for garnish

Useful Pointers !

1.	Soak lentils for some time before cooking to save fuel
2.	If using chillis while tempering or grinding make sure to use both red & green (to taste) as it adds to the flavour and gives the dish a definite punch
3.	Use tomatoes or tamarind paste if you like it tangy or you can totally skip them
4.	The skin & seed of chayote are generally edible - peel them if it is prickly or hard

How :-

Cut the chayote squash to small cubes and pressure cook it along with the lentils up to 3 whistles.Dry roast the ingredients for the paste (except green chilli) till golden brown and once it cools grind it along with the green chilli to a fine paste adding little water - Set aside.

In a wok, add oil and as it warms up , let the mustard seeds & urad dal crackle. Add the curry leaves & asafoetida and saute the tomatoes till it turns mushy. Add salt to taste and tip in the cooked lentils & chayote. Mix well. Let it come to a boil. Add water if the consistency is too thick. Now mix the ground paste and let it simmer for a while.Check for seasoning & take off flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot  with rotis or rice. Enjoy !