Mixed Vegetable Poricha Kootu (Steamed Vegetables in Coconut and Lentil Curry)
Description:
Mixed Vegetable Poricha Kootu is a comforting South Indian dish made from a blend of steamed vegetables cooked in a rich coconut and lentil curry. This traditional Tamil Nadu recipe is perfect as a side dish and is best served with steamed rice and Vathal Kozhambu.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients:
- 1 Chayote (or snake gourd), peeled and cubed
- 100g Green beans (French Beans), chopped
- 3 Carrots (Gajjar), peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup Green Moong Dal (Split)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
Ingredients for the Ground Paste:
- 1/2 cup Fresh coconut, grated
- 4 Dry Red Chilies
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 5 Curry leaves
For Seasoning:
- 1 tsp Oil
- 4 Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai/Kadugu)
- 1 tsp White Urad Dal (Split)
- 1 tsp Chana dal (Bengal Gram Dal)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Instructions:
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Cook the Lentils: In a saucepan or pressure cooker, cook the green moong dal with 2 cups of water and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Once the dal is cooked, whisk it using a fork to separate the grains.
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Steam the Vegetables: Steam the chayote, green beans, and carrots with a pinch of salt until tender.
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Make the Ground Paste: Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and dry red chilies into a smooth paste, adding warm water as needed for a smooth blend.
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Seasoning: Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds, chana dal, and white urad dal. Allow them to crackle and roast until lightly browned.
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Combine: Add the cooked lentils and steamed vegetables to the pan. Stir in the ground coconut paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add a little water to adjust the consistency.
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Final Touch: Check the salt levels and adjust to your preference. Garnish with additional curry leaves.
Serve this flavorful Mixed Vegetable Poricha Kootu with steamed rice and Vathal Kozhambu for a satisfying meal.
