Kootu Curry – Onam Sadya Recipe
Kootu curry, also known as koottukari or kootu kari, is a curry dish featuring a combination of vegetables and legumes. This dish holds significant importance as part of the Onam Sadhya feast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Black chickpeas (kadala) (soaked overnight)
- 1 cup Yam (chena) (diced)
- 1 cup Raw Plantain (pacha kaya) (diced)
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1.5 cups Water
- 3/4 cup Grated coconut
- 3 Small onion / Shallots / Pearl Onion (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp Chopped ginger
- 2 Green chilli (chopped)
- A pinch Cumin (optional, I didn't add)
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Chilli powder
To temper
- 3 Small onion/ Shallots / Pearl Onion (sliced)
- 2 Dried red chilli
- 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp Grated coconut
- Curry leaves
- Salt
- Coconut oil
Instructions
- Pressure cook the soaked black chana with 1.5 cups water till it's done, drain the excess water (refer notes).
- Grind together coconut, 3 small onion, 2 green chillies, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, cumin (if using),1 tsp chilli powder and 2 tbsp water to a coarse paste.
- Cook together the diced yam and raw plantain with 1.5 cups water, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt. Bring it to a boil and simmer till it's cooked and three-fourth of the water is dried. Add cooked chana to this and mix well.
- Make a well in the centre of the veggie and chana mix. Add the coconut mixture to this. Cover the coconut mixture with the chana veggie mix. Cover and cook on low flame for 5-7 mins. Mix everything together. Taste and see whether more salt are required.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the coconut till it turns golden brown. Add this to the veggie chana mixture. In the same pan, add little more oil and crackle the mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion, dried red chilli and curry leaves. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. Pour this over the veggie mix.
Notes
- I pressure cooked the kadala for 7 whistles on high flame. Switch off the gas and keep the cooker closed till the pressure drops, around 15-20 mins. Open the cooker and drain excess water.
- You can also use Vanpayar (red lobhia/cowpeas) instead of kadala for this recipe. Follow the same qty and method.
- You can adjust the qty of coconut to suit your requirements. You can cook the kadala in advance and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!