Description
Chow Chow combined with bengal gram to make this thick chunky kootu kari.
English/USA ~ Chayote Squash
Tamil ~ Bangalore Kathirikkai
Telugu ~ Bengaluru Vankaya
Kannada ~ Seemae Badhne Kayi
Malayalam ~ Seema Kathrika
Hindi ~ Chow Chow
Chou Chou / Cho Cho / English Cucumber / Melon / Squash / Chouchou / Kootu / Curry / Dry Curry / Kutu Curry / Kari Vagaigal
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 no | Chayote (small) |
| 3 tbsp | Bengal gram (kadhala paruppu) |
| 1 no | Onion ( chopped) |
| 1 nos | Green chili (slit open) |
| ¼ tsp | Turmeric powder |
| ¼ tsp | Asafoetida |
| ¼ tsp | Red chili powder |
| ½ tsp | Coriander /dhania powder |
| 2 tbsp | Fresh grated coconut (or use dry desicated coconut )) |
| 1 no | Dry red chili |
| ¼ tsp | Mustard |
| ¼ tsp | Cumin seeds |
| ¼ tsp | Split black gram (ullundu) |
| 5 nos | Curry leaves |
| 1 tsp | Oil |
| ¾ tsp | Salt (or to taste) |
| 1½ cup | Water |
Instructions
Wash the chayote squash, peel the skin, cut into half, remove the seed and chop into small cubes. Soak bengal gram for 15 minutes and keep aside. In a pressure pan combine cubed squash, chopped onion, soaked bengal gram, green chili, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, pinch of salt and water. Pressure cook upto 3 whistles and let the steam release completely. When done, take a small pan, heat oil, splutter mustard, cumin seeds, dry red chili , split black gram and curry leaves. Add this to the cooked squash mixture, sprinkle asafoetida and remaining salt and simmer until desired consistency is reached. (Thick mass consistency takes about 5 minutes of simmering over medium high flame). Garnish with grated coconut and serve as a side for rice, good with kaara kuzhambu, meen kuzhambu or plain rasam.
Notes
If you wish to have this as a gravy, do not simmer for long time, remove when its slightly watery and serve with plain rice topped with ghee.
Matured squash will be tough even after pressure cooking, so simmer until the squash is fully cooked through or until it turns tender but firm.
Yield: Serve 3 approx.
4 Comments
Thank you for the nice recipe. I have a doubt though.
By “presure cooking” you mean to add all the above mentioned ingredients to a vessel(no water) and keep it in the cooker(water in cooker) and the cook for 3 whistles.
Is this correct?
Dearmost Mullai
Where did u get these beautiful curry leaves !!!
Hi Mullai,
The curry looks yummy.When to add chilli and coriander powders? Have to add when pressure cooking? Also,need to add grated coconut when seasoning?
Thanks,
Anitha Muthaiyan.
Anitha, yeah… they go before pressure cooking, got it fixed. Thanks. Garnish with coconut when the curry is almost done, toss to mix and serve.