Chow Chow(chayote) Kadalaparuppu Kootu

For the 3rd week of Blogging Marathon #28 I chose the theme Kootu and I wll be showcasing the kootu recipe for next few days.
Kootu is a dhal based gravy which can be eaten with white or an accompaniment for some spicy kulambhu such as milagu kulambhu or Karivepillai Kulambhu.
In our household kootu is made in our menu atleast weekly once as an accompaniment for rice or even sometimes for roti.This kootu even tastes awesome with rotis and pulkhas.
Today I am sharing you the kootu with chow chow aka chayote with the channa dhal,the same recipe can be followed for squash(bottle gourd),cabbage.Now off to the recipe...................

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chow chow(chopped finely)	1
Channa dhal/kadalaparuppu	1/3cup
Onion(chopped)	1(small size)
Green chilly	2 nos.
Salt	to taste
Oil	2tsp

To Grind

Ingredient	Quantity
Coconut(grated)	1/3cup
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1tsp
Red chilly/varamailagi	1

For the tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Mustard seed/kadugu	1/2tsp
Urad dhal/uluthamparuppu	1/2tsp
Red chilly(broken)	1
Asafoetida/perungayam	a pinch
Curry leaves/karivepillai	5 leaves

Method

• Cook the dhal in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or till soft but not mushy.Grind the given ingredients to a fine paste with enough water and keep it aside.

Heat a pan with a tsp of oil,to this add the chopped chayote,onion and green chilly,saute it for a minute.Add 1/2 cup of water,salt and turmeric powder,cook it covered the vegetable is almost done.

Now add the cooked dhal and cook it for a minute.Add the ground paste and cook it til the smell goes off.

 
Now in a small pan heat the oil and do the tempering with the ingredients and add it.Mix it well.

Kootu is ready.
Serve it with rice or an accompaniment for rice.

Enjoy.............................................................

• If you making it as an accompaniment make it thick and if it is to mix it with rice adjust the consistency.
• Adding the onion is purely optional and can be made without onion also. 
• Tempering in the end makes it more flavorful.

Check out my fellow bloggers in Blogging Marathon#28.