Koot

Recently we visited my honey's brother in Atlanta and my co-sister had prepared this wonderful dish. After a particularly long day, she served us this koot along with very hot rice and green beans palya. We loved the meal. I had to recreate it in my kitchen and got the recipe from her. I could not note down anything, instead heard it from her! Hope I am true to her recipe. Nevertheless it turned out absolutely delicious. This dish is actually a from Tamilnadu.



You will need,

Seeme Badanekai/ Chayote Squash 2
Hesaru bele/ Split Green Gram 1/4 cup

For the masala:
Coconut 4 tbsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Red chillies/ green chillies 6-7
Turmeric a pinch
Rice a tsp soaked in water

For the tempering:
Ghee 1 tbsp
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 8-9
Hing a dash
red chillies 2 broken

Method:

• Pick the green gram, wash it in several changes of water. Petite dice the squash, combine both the ingredients in a pressure cooker. Cook till tender (1 whistle in my pressure cooker) Set aside to cool.
  
• Combined all the ingredients listed under the Masala paste in a blender. Grind it into a smooth paste.
• Once the pressure cooker is cool enough to handle, transfer the contents to a heavy bottomed pot, stir in the ground Masala. Turn on the heat and bring it to a gentle boil.
  
• Prepare the tempering. Heat the ghee, when almost smoking, drop the mustard, hing, curry leaves and once they stop spluttering, add the red chillies. Turn off the heat pour over the simmering squash mixture.
  
• Adjust salt and serve hot with steaming hot rice.