Vellarikka Kootu ~ Tamil Nadu Style Cucumber - Moong Dal Stew

I am posting the recipe for kootu from the Tamil Nadu thaali I posted. Check that link to read about it. Now coming to today's recipe, kootu can be roughly translated as a lentil and vegetable stew, originating in south Indian cuisine. This simple, comforting side dish is common to Tamil Nadu and Kerala cuisines. Karnataka has also a gravy dish called 'kootu' but it is more along the lines of a arachuvitta sambhar though both are not the same. The Tamil word 'kootu' means 'to add', which refers to the blending of lentils and vegetables in the dish. Kootu is usually served with rice and is thicker in consistency than of a typical sambhar. 

A kootu can be prepared using moong dal, split chick peas, pigeon peas or a combo of dals. I have used cucumbers here but some of the commonly used vegetables are chayote, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, cabbage or even greens. A medley of vegetables can be used as well. Any variety of green cucumbers can be used in the recipe. Just check for bitterness before using the cucumber as the bitter flavor is going to ruin the dish. Remove the seeds as well if the cucumber appears to be a mature one.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup moong dal (yellow colored)
A pinch of ground turmeric 
1/2 cup peeled and cubed cucumber
Salt to taste
Ingredients for grinding:
1/4 cup fresh / frozen coconut
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. rice / rice flour
1 tsp. pepper corns / 2 green chilies (or a combo of both can be used.)
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. oil / ghee
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. black gram / uard dal
A pinch of asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Directions:
* Thaw if using frozen coconut and soak rice for about 15 minutes in water, if using.
* Rinse moong dal with water twice and drain completely. Pressure cook dal along with turmeric and a cup of water until soft, about 3 whistles. Let the pressure subside and mash the dal well with the back of the ladle.
* Peel the cucumber and quarter it lengthwise. Remove the seeds if the cucumber is a mature one and chop them into fine cubes. Cook cucumber separately either in a microwave or in a sauce pan on stove top adding enough water just until done. Don't throw away the water.
*  Grind together coconut, soaked rice, cumin seeds and peppercorns / green chilies finely, adding water.
* Add oil / ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and black gram. When the black gram starts to turn reddish add asafoetida and curry leaves. Immediately add the mashed dal, the cucumber pieces along with the water, the ground coconut paste and salt. If rice isn't being used, make a paste of rice flour and few tbsp. of water and add it to the mixture. Add extra water if needed. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer fora minute or so and turn off the stove,
* Serve it warm with rice, drizzling a little ghee over it.

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