Kootu

Name: Kootu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Moong Dal, split yellow; 1 cup Mixed Vegetable, chopped (e.g., carrots, beans, potatoes); 1 cup water; 1 cup Coconut Milk, thick; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons Coconut, grated; 1 teaspoon Cumin, seeds; 2 teaspoons oil; 1 teaspoon Mustard Seed; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 sprig Curry Leaf; 2 Red Chili, dried; 1 tablespoon Cilantro, chopped

Veg Vegan

Thick vegetable-lentil preparation — cooked vegetables (yam, raw banana, ash gourd, raw jackfruit, or drumstick) combined with cooked chana dal or toor dal and a freshly ground coconut-cumin-dried red chilli paste, simmered together until the lentil and vegetable merge into a thick, dry-ish preparation that holds its shape on a plate. Distinct from dal (too thick), curry (not liquid), or salad (cooked); the kootu occupies a unique textural space in Tamil Brahmin cooking. The coconut paste is the binding agent and flavour carrier; without freshly ground coconut a kootu becomes something else entirely. Eaten as a side with rice, the thickest wet preparation on the leaf.

Cuisines

Chettinad Tamil Brahmin Kongunadu Madras Udupi Kerala

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Kootu

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 25 min Total: 40 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

	1/2 cup	Moong Dal , split yellow
	1 cup	Mixed Vegetable , chopped (e.g., carrots, beans, potatoes)
	1 cup	Water
	1 cup	Coconut Milk , thick
	1/4 teaspoon	Turmeric powder
	1 teaspoon	Salt
	2 tablespoons	Coconut , grated
	1 teaspoon	Cumin , seeds
	2 teaspoons	Oil
	1 teaspoon	Mustard Seed
	1 pinch	Asafoetida
	1 sprig	Curry Leaf
	2	Red Chili , dried
	1 tablespoon	Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

1 Wash the moong dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 10 minutes.
2 In a pot, add the soaked moong dal, mixed vegetables, 1 cup of water, turmeric powder, and salt.
3 Cook on medium heat until the dal and vegetables are tender.
4 Grind the grated coconut and cumin seeds into a smooth paste with a little water.
5 Add the coconut-cumin paste to the cooked dal and vegetables, and mix well.
6 Pour in the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
7 In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.
8 Pour the tempering over the kootu and mix well.
9 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer flavor, you can add a small piece of jaggery to the kootu while cooking.