Chow Chow Poriyal (Thoran) / Vegan Chayote Squash Stir

Chow Chow Poriyal (Thoran) / Vegan Chayote Squash Stir-fry.

Easy and healthy South Indian Tamilnadu style recipe for Chow Chow poriyal / thoran without coconut. Steamed Chayote squash tempered with indian spices. Includes step by step pictures.

This is an everyday Chow Chow Poriyal / stir-fry recipe. The vegetable is first steamed and then tempered the Indian way. It makes for a quick, easy side-dish and can be served with roti or rice. It makes for a very healthy meal too. And to top it, its Vegan. Here is how to do the stir-fry. First clean the Chayote squash and peel them. Cut them into half and take out the seed from the middle with a help of a spoon.

After peeling and de-seeding, dice them and steam them. I steam them in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or roughly about 3 minutes on medium flame. Do not cook for more time as it might turn into mush. I place some water in the cooker and place the veggies in a bowl inside them like shown below. By this way there is no need to add extra water to the veggies and it retains the vitamins. Its quick too. I steam all my veggies this way.

Once the steaming is done, a little tempering is added. Chop an onion, couple of green chillies, curry leaves and some coriander leaves. For the tadka, we will use mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin and dried red chilli.

Heat some oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin and dried red chilli and wait till the dal turns into brown and the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the curry leaves and onions. Saute till the onions are soft and translucent.

Add in the green chillies and the salt. Saute for a minute. Add in the steamed vegetable and coriander leaves and stir everything to combine. Remove off heat.

Serve hot with rice.

• 2 medium Chow Chow
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilli
• 1 sprig curry leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1. Clean the Chow Chow, peel, dice and steam them. Set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin and dried red chilli and wait till the dal turns brown and the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the curry leaves and onions. Saute till the onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add in the green chillies and the salt. Add in the steamed vegetable and coriander leaves and stir everything to combine.
4. Remove off heat. Serve hot with roti or rice.

• Author: Kannamma @kannammacooks.com
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: South Indian

• 2 medium Chow Chow
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilli
• 1 sprig curry leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1. Clean the Chow Chow, peel, dice and steam them. Set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin and dried red chilli and wait till the dal turns brown and the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the curry leaves and onions. Saute till the onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add in the green chillies and the salt. Add in the steamed vegetable and coriander leaves and stir everything to combine.
4. Remove off heat. Serve hot with roti or rice.

• Author: Kannamma @kannammacooks.com
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/chow-chow-poriyal-thoran-vegan-chayote-squash-stir-fry/

Kongunad Cauliflower Kurma / Vegan Cauliflower Curry.

South Indian Cauliflower kurma / kuzhambu makes an excellent side dish for Idly,Dosa,Chapati,Roti or Rice. Made with coconut, this kuruma / curry is a sure winner. With step by step pictures.

This cauliflower kurma / kuzhambu recipe from the kongunad region uses the simplest of the ingredients and spices. “Once you get a spice in your home, you have it forever. Women never throw out spices. The Egyptians were buried with their spices. I know which one I’m taking with me when I go.” This curry brings back memories every single time. My grand mother made this, my mom made this, my in laws made this, I make this and now you will make it too. This is a fantastic awesomatic south indian curry which goes so well with Idly, Dosa or Roti.

“Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education” – Mark Twain. Its an elegant, sophisticated, festive most sought after vegetable from the Victorian times. For this recipe, we need to cook the Cauliflower first. Boil the Cauliflower in water until its fork tender and set aside.

Now its masala time….Get your food processor out. You will need the following ingredients for “get away mascara, lets bring in the masala”

Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin, roasted gram (pottu kadalai as called in tamil) and the dried red chilli. Let it roast for 15-20 seconds. Add in the curry leaves, onions and salt. Saute in medium flame for a good 7-8 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.

Once the onions are brown, dump all the other ingredients at once. Tomatoes, coconut, tamarind, turmeric and coriander powder. Saute in medium flame for a good 6-7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and juiced down. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly.

Grind the mixture to a very very smooth paste…Did you hear that???? I am sorry that I am bossy. We need a fine paste. OK. “Oui, Chef”. You can add some water, up to a cup while grinding.

Now its tempering time. Take a deep pan and heat a tablespoon of oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it pop. Now add the ground masala paste. Add up to 2 cups water to thin the gravy. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add in the cooked Cauliflower and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more. Remove off heat.

Serve Hooooooottttt!!!!!

For the Masala Paste

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoon roasted gram dal (optional)
• 2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 2 dried red chilli
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Half a lime size tamarind
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 cup fresh shredded coconut

For Tempering

• 1 tablespoon Peanut Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Other ingredients

• 3 cups Cooked Cauliflower florets

1. Boil the Cauliflower in water until its fork tender and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin, roasted gram (pottu kadalai as called in tamil) and the dried red chilli. Let it roast for 15-20 seconds. Add in the curry leaves, onions and salt. Saute in medium flame for a good 7-8 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.
3. Once the onions are brown, dump all the other ingredients at once. Tomatoes, coconut, tamarind, turmeric and coriander powder. Saute in medium flame for a good 6-7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and juiced down. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly.
4. Grind the mixture to a very very smooth paste.
5. Take a deep pan and heat a tablespoon of oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it pop. Now add the ground masala paste. Add upto 2 cups water to thin the gravy. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
6. Add in the cooked Cauliflower and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.
7. Remove off heat.

• Author: Kannamma @kannammacooks.com
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: South Indian