Tribal/village Tamil Nadu recipe — Forest pumpkin kootu — tribal recipe using wild gourds that grow without cultivation.
Ingredients
- wild pumpkin kootu as main ingredient
- Minimal oil (sesame or coconut)
- Salt to taste
- Basic tempering — mustard, curry leaves
- Coconut or tamarind if required
Method
Prepare kattu kundangai: Peel and cut kattu kundangai (a wild yam variety or substitute with purple yam or elephant yam) into medium cubes. Rinse well.
Parboil: Boil in salted water with half tsp turmeric for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain.
Cook chana dal: Wash half cup chana dal. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Keep firm, not mushy.
Make coconut paste: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp cumin, 2 green chillies and half tsp pepper to a smooth paste.
Combine: In a pan combine parboiled yam and cooked chana dal. Add coconut paste and mix gently.
Add water and cook: Add half cup water and salt. Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until thick.
Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
Pour tempering: Add to the kootu. Mix well.
Dry out: Cook uncovered on high heat 2-3 minutes until thick.
Serve: Adjust salt. Kattu kundangai kootu is a traditional tribal Tamil Nadu dish. Serve with steamed rice.