Chow Chow Koottu

Ingredients
Items	Qnty	Comments
Chayote	1 medium size	(tamil:chow chow)
Onion	1 whole onion small size	(tamil:vengayam)
Green Chillies	3	(tamil:pachai milagai)
Green Gram (or) Moong dhal	1/3 cup	(tamil:pasi paruppu)
Turmeric powder	¼ teaspoon	(tamil:manjal thul)
Chilly powder	1/4 teaspoon	(tamil:milagai thul)
Coconut	1 tablespoon	(tamil:thengai)
Green Curry Leaves	10 leaves	(tamil:Karuvepilai)
Cummin Seeds	½ teaspoon	(tamil:seeragam)
Urad dhal	¼ teaspoon	(tamil:ulluntham paruppu)
Salt	3/4 teaspoon	or as required
Oil	2 teaspoons	For frying

Method

1. Scrape off the skin from chayote with a peeler and cut it into two halves.You will see the middle part is white with a seed.Cut and throw the white part away.

2. Cut the remaining chayote into small rectangular pieces.

3. Finely cut the onions and slit the chillies.

4. Pressure cook the moong dhal by adding little amount of water and turmeric powder.Keep it for 3 whistles or 5-10 minutes.

5. Take a sauce pan and add the cut onions,chillies and chayote pieces and pour ½ cup of water over it.Bring to a boil.

6. When the chayote pieces get soft add turmeric powder and salt and stir well.

7. Now add the cooked dhal and chilly powder and stir.

8. Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes in medium flame.

9. When it gets to a thick consistency off the stove.

10. Now heat 2 teaspoons of oil in small tawa .

11. Add the cummin seeds,urad dhal,curry leaves in that order and allow to splutter.

12. Pour this into the already cooked chayote mixture and stir well.

13. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with shredded coconut.

Tips

· Snake gourd(podalangai),Ridge gourd or Chinese okra(peerkkangai),yellow squash(kalyana poosanikkai) or cabbage(muttaikos) can be used instead of chayote for the same redipe.

· Moong dhal can be substituted with split chick peas(kadalai paruppu).Equal amounts of both can be added too.

· Coconut can be avoided if needed.

· Should be served hot with white rice and ghee.

· This dish is very good for kids.