Koottu Curry from Kerala Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1/4 c or As needed coconut oil,
• 1/2 Cup Chickpea
• 1/4 + ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 Cup raw plantain, peeled, chopped
• 1 Cup Elephant Foot Yam, frozen
• 1 Cup Green squash, peeled chopped
• 1+2 Sprigs Curry Leaves
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Black Gram / Urad Dal, skinned, whole
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 2 Dry Red Chilli
• 2 Cups Grated Coconut, fresh or desiccated
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Crushed Jaggery (optional)

Steps

1. Prepare a checklist. Keep all ingredients close by in the cooking area
2. In a bowl soak chick peas in 2c of boiling water for a couple of hours Use a pressure cooker for cooking chick peas. Take enough water in the cooker for steam generation. Follow manufacturer’s instruction for operating the cooker. Do not overcook chick peas. Let them just get soft. Keep the cooked chickpeas aside for later use.
3. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan heat 2tbsp oil over medium heat.. Add the vegetables sauté, about 2 minutes. Add 2c of water, bring it to boil; cook over medium low until the vegetables get soft.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, In a heavy bottomed sauce pan heat 3tbsp oil over medium heat. Pop the mustard seeds in hot oil reduce the heat to low. Add fennel seeds and urad. Let the the urad get golden. Add curry leaves, and red chilies Then add the grated coconut, let it brown. Remove 1/3 of the roasted coconut, keep it aside for making the paste. Add pepper powder to the roasted coconut in the saucepan. Mix. Turn off the heat.
5. Make the paste in a blender with ½ c of water and the roasted ingredients (coconut plus) To the veggies in the sauce pan, add turmeric and chili powder. Add the cooked chick peas with water. Stir in the paste. Mix together. Add the rest of roasted coconut plus, Mix. You may add 1c of water and bring it to boil. You may add the powdered jaggery. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the curry thickens. Turn the stove off. But leave the curry on the stove itself to get thicker.
6. Transfer to a serving bowl. Flavorful aromatic tasty koottu curry from Kerala cuisine is ready for your eating pleasure. You may serve it with roti, rice, idli or dosai