Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu

Tamilnadu style recipe for Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu with coconut which is different from the usual kootu varieties.

Usually kootu is made with dal / paruppu. This chow chow kootu curry is different that there is no dal used. Its called as masala kootu or vaasanai kootu. The addition of fennel seeds (sombu) and spices gives this dish a wonderful aroma that its called as vaasanai (aroma) kootu. It tastes so delicious with rice. This dish is also good for digestion as fennel seeds aids in digestion. This is such a nice dish, a welcome change from the usual paruppu kootu.

Here is how to do Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu.

Boil the peeled and diced chow chow / chayote squash in 2 cups of water until tender. Set aside. We call this vegetable as merakai in tamil.

Heat oil in a kadai and add in one cardamom, one clove and a very small piece of cinnamon. Add in 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds (sombu). Fry on low flame until lightly brown. Add in the onions, garlic and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft and they are slowly starting to brown.

Add in the tomatoes and salt. Add in the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for a good 5 minutes on medium flame until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the freshly shredded coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove off heat. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste in a blender / mixie. You can add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding. Grind it to a very fine paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and a few sprigs of curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the ground paste and add water if the mixture is very thick. You can add more water if you want a thin gravy. I like my kootu thick. so add water to your taste and preference. Add in the cooked chow chow and let the mixture come to a boil. Don’t cook it for long. Just a boil is enough.

Once it just starts to boil, remove off heat and serve hot with rice.

• 2 medium sized chow chow, diced

For the ground masala

• 2 teaspoon Oil
• 1 cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 small tiny piece cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 medium sized onions
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded coconut

For the seasoning

• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

1. Boil the diced chow chow / chayote squash in 2 cups of water until tender. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and add in one cardamom, one clove and a very small piece of cinnamon. Add in 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds (sombu). Fry on low flame until lightly brown. Add in the onions, garlic and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft and they are slowly starting to brown.
3. Add in the tomatoes and salt. Add in the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for a good 5 minutes on medium flame until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the freshly shredded coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove off heat. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste in a blender / mixie. You can add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding. Grind it to a very fine paste. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and a few sprigs of curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the ground paste and add water if the mixture is very thick. Add in the cooked chow chow and let the mixture come to a boil.
5. Remove off heat and serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

• 2 medium sized chow chow, diced

For the ground masala

• 2 teaspoon Oil
• 1 cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 small tiny piece cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 medium sized onions
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded coconut

For the seasoning

• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

1. Boil the diced chow chow / chayote squash in 2 cups of water until tender. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and add in one cardamom, one clove and a very small piece of cinnamon. Add in 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds (sombu). Fry on low flame until lightly brown. Add in the onions, garlic and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft and they are slowly starting to brown.
3. Add in the tomatoes and salt. Add in the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for a good 5 minutes on medium flame until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the freshly shredded coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove off heat. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste in a blender / mixie. You can add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding. Grind it to a very fine paste. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and a few sprigs of curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the ground paste and add water if the mixture is very thick. Add in the cooked chow chow and let the mixture come to a boil.
5. Remove off heat and serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/chettinad-chow-chow-masala-kootu/

Tamil Style recipe for Kovakkai Fry / Poriyal with coconut. Tindora Ivy Gourd Dondakaya Vepudu.

Kovakkai or Ivy gourd / tindora grows in a vine. It grows like a wild fire. It can grow 3-4 inches a day. Don’t believe me? Try planting one today. When purchasing kovakkai make sure its not very ripe. Ripe kovakkai tastes very sour. There are various folklore tales which say that ripe kovakkai is poisonous. But I have cooked it at times and I have survived to tell this story. So nothing is going to happen if you consume ripe kovakkai. But its not going to be very tasty and you might need a Gelusil or Tums later. So try avoiding the ripe ones. When picking Ivy gourd in the market, pick the ones that are dark green and very firm. They are the young ones. The pale green ones are the ripe ones. The seeds become red inside when ripe. Discard the ripe ones.

Here is how to do a simple and tasty kovakkai fry. Its one of my favorites.

Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, urad dal and dried red chillies. Fry until the seeds splutter and the urad dal turns golden. Add in the finely chopped onions and curry leaves. Fry till the onions are soft and starting to brown.

Add in the chopped kovakkai to the pan. Add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

Add about half a cup of water. Around 100-125 ml. Fry the kovakkai on low flame for a good 30-40 minutes. Keep sauteing every 5 minutes to avoid scorching at the bottom. The more you fry, the more brown and yummy its gonna get. Once its nicely cooked and fried and brown around the edges, finally add the shredded coconut and saute for a couple of minutes more.

Remove off heat and serve.

• 3 tablespoon refined sunflower / vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon urad dal
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 medium onions
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 500 grams kovakkai – tindora
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 125 ml water
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

1. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, urad dal and dried red chillies. Fry until the seeds splutter and the urad dal turns golden. Add in the finely chopped onions and curry leaves. Fry till the onions are soft and starting to brown.
2. Add in the chopped kovakkai to the pan. Add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
3. Add about half a cup of water. Around 100-125 ml. Fry the kovakkai on low flame for a good 30-40 minutes. Keep sauteing every 5 minutes to avoid scorching at the bottom. Once its nicely cooked and fried, finally add the shredded coconut and saute for a couple of minutes more.
4. Remove off heat and serve.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian