Sadya Style Masala Koottu Curry – With Video

Here’s the recipe for koottu curry that’s usually served in marriage feasts in our place. Koottu curry is a combination of vegetables and chick peas, and is usually a semi-dry preparation. The vegetables commonly used for making koottu curry are raw plantains, chena/ elephant yam and winter melon. Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1. Raw plantain – 1 large or 2 small, diced

Chena / elephant yam / suran(fresh or frozen) – 1.5 cup, diced

Green chilies – 2 –  3, slit

Curry leaves – 1 – 2 sprigs

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Water – 1.5 – 2 cups or as required

Salt –To taste

2. Cooked black chana / kadala – 3/4 – 1 cup (Soak dried kadala/black chana overnight and pressure cook adding enough water and salt for around 5 whistles or until soft)

3. Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Whole black pepper corns – 1/2 tsp

4. Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Jaggery / sugar – 1/2 tsp

5. Grated coconut – 1.5 – 2 cups

6. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Dry red chilies – 1 –  2, broken

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

7. Salt – To taste

 

 

Method

1. Roast the grated coconut adding 1 tsp oil until it turns browned.

2. Crush cumin seeds and black pepper corns in a mortar and pestle.

3. Cook the raw banana and yam cubes along with green chilies,curry leaves,  turmeric powder, chilli powder, enough water (1.5 – 2 cups or in the same level as that of vegetables) and salt. Cook until they are done (you can pressure-cook for 1 whistle adding around 3/4 cup water) and the water almost evaporates completely, about 15 – 20 minutes. Open the lid and mash the vegetables slightly. Add garam masala powder, crushed cumin seeds and black pepper and the cooked black chickpeas /  kadala. Mix well. Check for salt. Add 1/2 tsp jaggery/ brown sugar, roasted coconut  and mix well. Cook for 1 minute at low heat. Switch off.

2. In a small pan, heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds. Fry dry red chilies and curry leaves. Pour over the prepared koottu curry. Keep covered for 10 minutes. Open the lid and mix well. Serve hot with plain rice and other side-dishes.