Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
Category: Lunch
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
🌿 Vegetarian
Tamil Nadu kootu combining broad beans with chana dal and a freshly ground coconut-cumin paste.
Ingredients
- - 250g broad beans
- - 1/3 cup chana dal
- - 1/3 cup grated coconut
- - 1 tsp cumin seeds
- - 2-3 green chillies
- - 1 tsp mustard seeds
- - 2 tsp coconut oil
- - 1/4 tsp turmeric
- - Salt to taste
Method
- Prepare broad beans: Wash 200g avarakkai (broad beans). String and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Cook toor dal: Pressure cook half cup toor dal with 1.5 cups water for 4 whistles. Mash completely.
- Make coconut paste: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp cumin and 2 green chillies to a smooth paste.
- Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 1 tsp urad dal and fry golden.
- Add aromatics: Add 1 dried red chilli, 1 sprig curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
- Add broad beans: Add beans, half tsp turmeric and salt. Cover and cook on low heat 10-12 minutes until tender.
- Add mashed dal: Add mashed dal. Mix gently.
- Add coconut paste: Add coconut paste. Stir and cook 5 minutes.
- Adjust consistency: Add water if too thick.
- Serve: Adjust salt. Broad beans kootu is hearty and protein-rich. Serve with steamed rice.