Lunch Box Series : LBS#15 | Chow Chow Kootu | Beetroot Poriyal

Published: Nov 8, 2007 · Modified: Oct 15, 2020 by Srivalli · 17 Comments

Today's lunch was way different from my usual Sambar or Dal. I am talking about the Kootu, typically prepared in Tamil Nadu, more particularly by the Brahmins. Though this is still based on dal, it's my favorite dish. I have never attempted to make at home previously although I have had it at so many of my Tamil Brahmin friends place. One of my colleagues used to get it for her lunch and every time she opens the lid, a heavenly aroma used to escape out. I must have asked her some 20 times for the recipe still I never got down preparing it.

When I checked on my Lunch Boxes, I saw that I was preparing the same stuff for lunch every day except a change of Vegetable! So I thought Kootu should make a change in the lunch box. I had Chow Chow on hand. Though this tastes a little bland in sambar, in kootu it tasted so good. Chow Chow is the Chayote or Bangalore Katharikai or Bangalore Vankai as called in Telugu.

For Poriyal / Fry, we had Beetroot, so ended up with that for the lunch. I normally run a mile if I had to eat Beetroot. Not sure why and Amma always never really cooked this Veggie much. Much to my dismay, Athamma opts for this veggie and we end up with a side dish for Rotis. I somehow get myself to eat that. I have always prepared it for quite some time because hubby dear says it's good for health. Then one day, he wanted to eat that for salad. That's when I discovered how tasty Beet is. I love eating it raw now and it has such a lovely colour.

Once my daughter said her friend's lunch box was so red in colour because she had brought curd rice with beetroot poriyal and the colour ran through the rice! She wanted me to do the same and I thought yuck, now daughter also wants the same! hhaha..but, of course, I didn't express that as I want her to eat all the vegetables! (I know, mean me, but what to do) So today it's this for lunch.

Today's Lunch Box had

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Chow Chow Kootu
Plain Rice
Beetroot Poriyal
Pepper Cumin Rasam
Curd Rice.

Chow Chow Kootu

Ingredients Needed

Chow Chow/ 1 (chopped square pieces)
Tur Dhal - 1/2 cup tsp
Shredded Coconut - 4 tsp
Green chilis - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Split urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 7

Method:

Take a pressure cooker and cook Tur dal for 3 whistles, then add chopped square chow chow and put for another whistle.

Grind Coconut, Green chilis, Cumin Seeds to a fine paste with required water.

Add this paste to cooked chow chow and let it boil for 3 mins. Add salt to it.

Heat oil in a pan and add the seasoning, once it splutters, add it to kootu.

Beetroot Poriyal

Ingredient Needed

Beetroot - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Split urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 7
Green Chilies - 2 long
Grated Coconut - 2 tsp

Method to prepare:

Chop beetroot into small pieces. Boil it in water for 10 mins in the sim, till it's cooked.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a Kadai, add mustard, urad dal, and curry leaves. Add green chilies, Once they splutter, add the cooked beetroot. Stir well. Then add grated fresh coconut.

Pepper Cumin Rasam will feature later.

Enjoy your Diwali!

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