Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe - Chayote Squash In Dal Coconut Curry

Here is a delicious Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe, that is packed with taste from the pepper, cumin and red chillies cooked in a coconut and dal curry base. Serve it along with phulka and salad for a light dinner.

Nithya Anantham
Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe - Chayote Squash In Dal Coconut Curry
3448 ratings.

Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe is traditional Tamil Nadu Style lentils cooked with chayote squash, tomatoes along with moong dal, with a coconut based masala.

The freshly ground coconut masala adds a beautiful flavour to the kootu. The addition of pepper, cumin and red chillies gives the kootu the right amount of spice.

Chayote squash is a healthy vegetable containing highest content of water, making it suitable to include in our diet. Also, the kootu is prepared with the Moong dal, making it healthy as well as lighter on the tummy.

Serve Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe along with Phulkas and Carrot Cucumber Tomato Salad for a light weekday lunch.

Or if you wish to make an elaborate meal, serve Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu along with Steamed Rice, Murungakkai Puli Kuzhambu (Drumstick Tamarind Curry), Kollu Rasam, Curd and Elai Vadams for the weekend lunch.

If you like this recipe of Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu, here are a few more Kootu Recipes you can try for Lunch

  1. Vegetable & Avarekalu Kootu Recipe
  2. Vazhakkai Milagu Kootu Recipe (Plantains Pepper Curry)
  3. Chenai Kizhangu Poricha Kootu Recipe (Tamil Nadu Style Yam Cooked in Coconut Gravy)

Course: Lunch
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep in

10 M

Cooks in

15 M

Total in

25 M

Makes:

4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 Chow chow (chayote squash) , peeled, cored and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split) , washed
  • 2 Tomatoes , roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
  • 1 Dry Red Chillies
  • 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 sprig Curry leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Oil
  • Salt , to taste
  • Ingredients for the coconut masala
  • 1/4 cup Fresh coconut , grated
  • 2 Dry Red Chillies
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns

How to make Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe - Chayote Squash In Dal Coconut Curry

  1. To begin making Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe, wash and soak the moong dal for 10 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, wash, de-skin, core the chow chow/chayote squash and cut into small cubes. 

  3. Now, add the drained soaked moong dal to the pressure pan, along with chow chow, salt, tomatoes, cumin, turmeric powder, long with 1-1/4 cups water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.

  4. Meanwhile, make a fine paste of the grated coconut, red chilli, cumin seeds, pepper using a mixer grinder adding very little water.

  5. Place a  heavy bottomed pan on low heat, add the cooked dal, chow chow and the prepared kootu masala along with 1/2 cup of water.

  6. Season with salt and let the chow chow kootu simmer for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat and turn off the heat. Check the salt and adjust according to taste.

  7. Heat oil in a small tadka pan, add the dried chillies, asafoetida, mustard seeds and let it splutter.

  8. Add the curry leaves, let it splutter and add this tadka to the prepared Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu. Once done, transfer the kootu to a serving bowl and serve hot.

  9. Serve Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu Recipe along with Phulkas and Carrot Cucumber Tomato Salad for a light weekday lunch.

  10. Or if you wish to make an elaborate meal, serve Chow Chow Thakkali Kootu along with Steamed RiceMurungakkai Puli Kuzhambu (Drumstick Tamarind Curry)Kollu RasamCurd and Elai Vadams for the weekend lunch.