Onion & dhall kootu

This is the quickest recipe one can make as a side dish for rotis. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Onion - 1 (nicely chopped)
2. Channa dhall - 3 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Rasam powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil - 1 tsp
8. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
11. Red chillies - 1
12. Curry leaves - few
    

First take a pressure pan, put the chopped onion and channa dhall, add turmeric powder and pressure cook it upto 2 whistles. When it is ready to open, take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and fry it till golden brown. Now add the cooked onion and channa dhall to it. Add rasam powder and salt and let it boil for 5 mts. If necessary add some more water to it. In order to get a thicker consistency, take a teaspoon of besan flour, mix it with 2 tbsp of water and pour it to the onion mixture. Let it cook for another 2 mts. Turn off the stove, when you get the required consistency. This is a wonderful side dish for chapathi

Brinjal poricha kootu 2

This is another kootu we make with channa dhal and peanuts. I like this kootu very much because peanuts very much. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Brinjal - 1 cup (chopped
2. Channa dhall - 1/4 cup
3. Pea nuts - 2 tbsp
4. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
5. coconut - 2 tbsp
6. urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
7. Red chillies - 1 (acc to taste)
8. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
9. Cumin - 1/4 tsp
   
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
11. Salt to taste
12. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp
4. Red chillies - 1
5. Curry leaves - few
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

First pressure cook channa dhall with required amount of water and a pinch of turmeric powder. Do not over cook. It needs to be 1/2 cooked. Take a small pan, pour a drop of oil, fry urad dhall, red chillies, pepper, cumin and coconut to golden brown and let it cool. Grind it into a fine paste. Now take a pan, put the brinjal pieces and peanuts, add turmeric powder and salt and let it cook for 7 to 10 mts. When it is 1/2 cooked, add the pressure cooked channa dhall to it and also add the coconut paste and let everything cook for another 5 to 7 mts. A nice aroma of coconut, peanuts and pepper will come out of the kootu. Now turn off the stove.

Take a small pan, pre heat remaining oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of kootu. Now kootu is ready to serve. This can be eaten with rice as a main dish or as a side dish with dosa, chapathi.

Brinjal (eggplant) Poricha kootu

I like eating brinjal or eggplant in the form of kootu instead of eggplant curry. This is one way of making brinjal kootu and my MIL is an expert in making this kootu. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Brinjal - 1 cup (chopped into big cubes)
2. Moong dhall - 1/4 cup
3. coconut - 1/2 tbsp
4. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
5. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
6. Red chillies Or green chillies - 2
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin - 1/4 tsp
9. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Salt to taste

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. curry leaves - few
   

First pressure cook moong dhall with a pinch of tumeric powder and keep it aside. Take a pan, pre heat a drop of oil, fry urad dhall, channa dhall, red chilles, pepper and cumin into golden brown. Turn off the stove, add coconut and saute for a minute. Grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Now take a pan, put the brinjal pieces, add required amount of water (don't add too mcuh water), turmeric powder and salt and let the brinjal for 7 to 10 mts. When it is 1/2 cooked, add the coconut paste to it and let it cook for another 3 mts. Now add the cooked moong dhall to it and let everything cook for another 5 mts. Add water if necessary. This is poricha kootu. Now take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of kootu. Now kootu is ready to serve. This can be eaten with rice, as a side dish for chapathi or roti.