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Thiruvathirai Kootu recipe

Ezhukari Kootu | Thiruvathirai Kootu

Medley of 7 veggies cooked in a sesame coconut paste, prepared mainly on a Hindu auspicious day.

Author Nisha

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup tuvar dhal
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon channa dhal
  • 1 teaspoon urad dhal
  • 3-4 curry leaves, torn
  • 1 dry red chilly
  • 2 teaspoon tamarind paste mixed in ½ cup water
  • 4 cups veggies, chopped in bite size cubes
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander for garnish

For roasting and Grinding

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon channa dhal
  • 1 teaspoon urad dhal
  • 2-3 dry red chillies
  • ¼ cup grated coconut

Instructions

Prep work

  1. Pressure cook the dhal with turmeric powder and keep aside.

    Roast all the ingredients (except coconut) separately, under grinding. Cool it and grind it to a fine paste.

Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a Kadai | Pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chillies, channa dal and urad dhal and fry until the dhal turns golden brown.

  2. Add the tamarind water and the veggies. Once the veggies are cooked and the raw smell of the tamarind goes off, add the coconut paste and the cooked toor dahl.

  3. Mix it well. Add salt. Let it boil for a couple of minutes and until everything blends well.
  4. If it is very thick, add little water. Finally garnish it with coriander leaves and turn off the flame.

Recipe Notes

  1. The veggies should be soft and tender. They should hold their shape and not become mushy.
  2. Sometimes, veggies like raw banana or drumsticks, take time to cook in tamarind water. In that case, cook the veggies separately and then add them.
  3. Alternatively, you can either boil them or steam them and then add the veggies after the raw smell of the tamarind goes off in step 2. 
  4. The veggies generally used are chayote, ash gourd, potato, carrot, broad beans, mochai, peas and raw banana. Those which we call as native veggies (naatu kai karigal). But as always, there is a relaxation. You can use whatever you have at hand.
  5. Generally, this kootu is on the thicker side. But if you are having it with rice, you can loosen it up a bit.