Chettinad Kootu
Veg
Vegan
Thick vegetable and lentil preparation — seasonal vegetables (ash gourd, raw banana, yam, or raw jackfruit) cooked with cooked toor dal and a freshly ground coconut-cumin-pepper paste. Thicker than sambar, eaten as a semi-dry side with rice, representing the umami-forward vegetarian side of the Chettinad table.
Cuisines
Chettinad
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1/2 cup | yellow moong dal |
| 1 cup | mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, potato) |
| 1 tbsp | ghee |
| 1 tsp | mustard seeds |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 | green chili, slit |
| 1 | dry red chili |
| 5-6 | curry leaves |
| 1/4 tsp | turmeric powder |
| 1 tsp | salt or to taste |
| 2 cups | water |
| 2 tbsp | grated coconut |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds (for grinding) |
| 1 tsp | peppercorns |
| 1 tsp | fennel seeds |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the yellow moong dal thoroughly and soak it for 15 minutes.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, mixed vegetables, turmeric powder, and water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
- 3 In a small pan, dry roast the cumin seeds (for grinding), peppercorns, and fennel seeds until aromatic. Let them cool.
- 4 Grind the roasted spices with grated coconut into a smooth paste using a little water.
- 5 In a pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chili, dry red chili, and curry leaves.
- 6 Add the cooked dal and vegetable mixture to the pan and stir well.
- 7 Mix in the ground coconut paste and add salt. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- 8 Adjust the consistency by adding water if needed. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
Tips
For a richer flavor, you can add a small piece of jaggery while simmering the kootu.