Chow Chow Carrot Kootu - Chayote Squash And Carrot Stew

Cold winter days are making me crave for more comfort foods. This is one of the foods that I love to eat on a lazy day with saadham and paruppu (Rice and lentils) and dollop of freshly made ghee. I made this Chow Chow Carrot Kootu, but again it is one of those recipes that can take in any vegetable that you have in hand. I chose these two vegetables, because those are the only ones I had in my refrigerator. That reminds me, I have to go vegetable shopping soon. But before that, here’s the recipe.

Preparation time – 10 mins
Cooking time – 40 mins
Difficulty level – easy

Ingredients to make Chow Chow Carrot Kootu– Serves 4

• Chow – chow/ Chayote squash/Bangalore kathirikkai – 2 (chopped into small cubes)
• Carrot – 3 (chopped into small cubes)
• Payatham paruppu (green gram dhal) – 1/3rd of cup
• Coconut – 1/4th cup (grated)
• Green chilies – 2 or 3
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Raw rice – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 1 tsp (optional)

To season –

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal/ black gram dhal – 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies – 2
• Asafetida – ½ tsp
• Curry leaves – few
• Oil (preferably coconut oil) – 1 tsp

Procedure to make Chow Chow Carrot Kootu –

• Chop the vegetables and place them in a pot with the payatham paruppu and add enough water to cover them. Add turmeric powder and cook it until tender.

• Now add the salt and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Add the salt only after the vegetables and dhal has cooked. If you add the salt before, it takes longer to cook.
• Meanwhile, grind together coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies and rice into a smooth paste adding little water.
• Once the vegetable and dhal are cooked, add the ground paste and let it come to a boil. Simmer for about 10 more minutes till the kootu has reached the desired consistency.

• Seasoning - Heat oil in a small pan and add all the ingredients listed under the seasoning. Add this to the Simmering kootu and mix well.

• Serve chow-chow carrot kootu hot with rice. Also goes well with chapatti or dosai.

Notes and Observations -

• Any vegetable can be added to the kootu.
• Do not add too much water when cooking the vegetable. Just add enough water to cover the vegetables, otherwise the kootu might be too watery in consistency.
• The rice in the ground mixture is to thicken the kootu. If you forget to add it, you could dissolve a tsp of rice flour in about a tbsp of water and add it to the kootu when it is simmering at the end.