Kootu curry with Yam and Plantain, a Kerala cuisine VEGAN side dish with perfect blend of vegetables, lentils and generous amount of coconut. Interestingly this traditional sadhya dish varies every few 100 kms, the combinations has evolved and adapted to the indigenous crop of the area. The North Malabar kootu curry is different from this Thrissur style kootu curry.
What is Kootu curry?
Kootu curry is a moderately spicy dish is known for its rich flavors and unique combination of ingredients, freshly harvested vegetables and a legume like cow peas or black chick peas to add the bite, finished off with plentiful use of coconut. Slightly mashed in texture
History and significance :
The seasonal, hardy native vegetables grown in tropical climate are harvested and used in the traditional Kerala sadhya and every day dishes. Coconut trees have reined the terrain making its fruit bountiful and extensively used on a daily basis in many forms in the same dish.Vegetables such as Raw plantain, Ash gourd, yellow pumpkin, yam, some times gourds like snake gourd etc are used extensively in Kerala cooking and particularly in this dish. The lentils used earlier was the dried beans from long beans or string beans later vanpayar(Cow peas / Azuki beans ) were used. Mesopotamian civilization (modern day Iraq )is where chick peas was found first and spread to various part of the world through maritime trade. Ironically India is the largest producer of chickpeas today. Of course the main spice being pepper that has been the most sort after currency for the land to prosper.
Ingredients for making Kootu curry :
Note : I have used frozen yam here.
Points to remember when making Kootu curry with Yam and Plantain :
- Yam may cause allergic itching in some people.
- Roasted coconut can make or break the flavor of this dish hence pay close attention. Roast only on low heat and try to achieve even radish brown color for real coconut taste of the dish. The coconut should turn crisp and still have oil in it not moisture.
- Mashing the vegetable is a personal preference. Too much mashing in the beginning will give a pasty no structure and texture blob.
How to make Kootu Curry in Instant pot :
- Cook the Channa dal and vegetables together in Instant pot
- Pressure cook the split chick peas until they are soft and tender. Drain and set aside.Add the diced raw banana, and yam. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and enough water to cook the vegetables until they are tender but not mushy.
- Prepare the Coconut Mixture. Combine channel dal and Vegetables:
- Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds, black peppercorns to a coarse paste using a little water.Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked channa dal gently mix and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the ground coconut mixture to the pot and mix well. Cook on low heat until the raw smell of the coconut disappears.
- Prepare the Tempering and season
- Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, and when they splutter, add urad dal, dried red chilies, and asafoetida. Finally, add the curry leaves and roast the grated coconut until golden brown.
- Pour the tempering over the kootu curry and mix well. Let it rest for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve:
- Serve the Kootu Curry warm with Kerala matte rice, papadam, and other Kerala-style dishes.Here served with moru curry , Kerala chips etc.
Texture of the dish is mashed but not too pasty.
Other similar mixed vegetable traditional recipes :
Kootu curry with Yam and Plantain
Ingredients
- 1 cup Yam
- 1/2 of 1 Plantain
- 1/2 cup Channa dal
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- Salt to taste
For grinding :
- 2 tbsp Grated coconut
- 2-3 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 Inch Piece of Jaggery
- Salt to taste
For seasoning :
- 4 tsp Coconut oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 1 Green chili
- 3 Dried red chili
- 2 Sprigs Curry leaves
Instructions
- Cut the plantain and yam into large pieces. Add 1/2 cup water, turmeric powder, chili powder and little salt.
- In the instant pot add the rinsed channa dal to the bottom, add enough water to cover the dal. Place the trivet on top and keep the bowl with cut veggies on top. Pressure cook for both together for 5 minutes. Allow it to natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then open and check for doneness of each veggie and the dal. If dal need more cooking remove veggie bowl and cook just dal for another 2-3 minutes or as required.
- The veggies should be 90% cooked and dal should break easily and have a grainy texture.
- Add half dal and the veggies add the ground coconut mixture and cook until the most of the water evaporates. Cook on medium to low.
- Meanwhile in another pan heat coconut oil, allow the mustard to splutter add the urad dal allow it to slightly brown up then add the red chilies cut into pieces. Add curry leaves too. Allow it to crisp up. Add the grated coconut and keep continuously sautéing until the coconut turns deep brown shade.
- Put half this coconut mix into the veggie mixture mix well and switch off heat. Level the top and spread the rest of the coconut mix on top evenly. Cover and keep aside. While serving scoop from top to bottom so both the layers are served.
Notes
Hope you will give this kootu curry recipe a try and let me know.
Meena
Paru
I hate the kadala skin but love paripp this sounds like a perfect recipe to try. I have got most of the ingredients listed here.
elephantsncoconuttrees
Thank you Paru.