Most Koottus are made from vegetables, coconut and a mix of spices. Sometimes lentils or dal is added to thicken the koottu and coconut is omitted for health reasons.
This Koottu goes wonderfully well with hot steaming rice.
The Koottus which have lentils in them, can be served with Rotis or Chapathis.
Generally most koottus are made with country vegetables or locally available vegetables. Most curries or poriyals and koottus, use coconut gratings for thickening the gravy or for adding flavour to the dish.
They are prepared without the addition of onions or garlic, so they can be served to people, who follow a strict non onion garlic diet.
However this particular koottu is different because coconut milk is used in the recipe. As the recipe suggests add tender pumpkin to get best results.
Recipe from Cook and See Vol 1
Ingredients
- Pumpkin 2 cups (chopped into ¼ inches),
- Coconut milk or plain milk ½ cup,
- Salt ¼ teaspoon or less,
- Sugar 2 tablespoon,
- Oil 2 teaspoon,
- Mustard ½ teaspoon,
- Black gram dal 1 teaspoon,
- Green chillies 2,
- Dried red chillies 2,
- Water ¼ cup.
- Rice flour 2 teaspoons
Method
- Cook the pumpkin pieces in water, adding salt. However, do not cook till tender, but just to the point they remain firm.
- Add sugar and stir till it dissolves. Add riceflour to the milk and add. When it bubbles for a minute or so,remove from fire.
- Heat oil, add mustard, as it splutters ,add black gram dal, green chillies and red chillies. Temper the koottu with it.
- Koottu is ready to be eaten with hot rice.
NOTE :
- If you feel there is too much water left in the koottu after cooking pumpkin pieces, decant the extra water. Otherwise the koottu will be watery.
- Sugar can be avoided, if you prefer so .