Tamilnadu style recipe for Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu with coconut which is different from the usual kootu varieties.
Usually kootu is made with dal / paruppu. This chow chow kootu curry is different that there is no dal used. Its called as masala kootu or vaasanai kootu. The addition of fennel seeds (sombu) and spices gives this dish a wonderful aroma that its called as vaasanai (aroma) kootu. It tastes so delicious with rice. This dish is also good for digestion as fennel seeds aids in digestion. This is such a nice dish, a welcome change from the usual paruppu kootu.
Here is how to do Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu.
Boil the peeled and diced chow chow / chayote squash in 2 cups of water until tender. Set aside. We call this vegetable as merakai in tamil.
Heat oil in a kadai and add in one cardamom, one clove and a very small piece of cinnamon. Add in 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds (sombu). Fry on low flame until lightly brown. Add in the onions, garlic and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft and they are slowly starting to brown.
Add in the tomatoes and salt. Add in the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for a good 5 minutes on medium flame until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the freshly shredded coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove off heat. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste in a blender / mixie. You can add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding. Grind it to a very fine paste. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add in the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and a few sprigs of curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the ground paste and add water if the mixture is very thick. You can add more water if you want a thin gravy. I like my kootu thick. so add water to your taste and preference. Add in the cooked chow chow and let the mixture come to a boil. Don’t cook it for long. Just a boil is enough.
Once it just starts to boil, remove off heat and serve hot with rice.
Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu
Tamilnadu style recipe for Chettinad Chow Chow Masala Kootu with coconut which is different from the usual kootu varieties.
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized chow chow, diced
For the ground masala
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- 1 cardamom
- 1 clove
- 1 small tiny piece cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 medium sized onions
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded coconut
For the seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
Instructions
- Boil the diced chow chow / chayote squash in 2 cups of water until tender. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai and add in one cardamom, one clove and a very small piece of cinnamon. Add in 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds (sombu). Fry on low flame until lightly brown. Add in the onions, garlic and curry leaves and fry till the onions are soft and they are slowly starting to brown.
- Add in the tomatoes and salt. Add in the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for a good 5 minutes on medium flame until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the freshly shredded coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove off heat. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste in a blender / mixie. You can add up-to 2 cups of water while grinding. Grind it to a very fine paste. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the fennel seeds, cumin seeds and a few sprigs of curry leaves. Let it splutter. Add in the ground paste and add water if the mixture is very thick. Add in the cooked chow chow and let the mixture come to a boil.
- Remove off heat and serve hot with rice.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: South Indian
Thank you for this. Ate it with parota. Yummy.
Thank you.
RUSTIC -YUMMY -MOUTH WATERING
Thank You!
Mam gravy is very very tasty, I love it
Thank you!
I love this dish! I always cook this version of chow chow as it is super easy and delicious.
Thank you!
Wow … I didnt even know such a vegetable existed till a year back when I got to bangalore… My diet was dominated by chicken so i wanted to bring in more veggies….. Due to this dish now, I get chow chow atleast once in every 2 weeks… Simply superb….
Thank You!
Hi mam,
First ever met you in the Travel XP channel in Local flavours as recommended by my mother and Daughter during this lockdown period and on the same day searched ur name in web and got to know KC cooks. From that day one i read KC cooks daily in my house a recipe of urs is being done. KC cooks has become part and parcel of my cooking daily. Cant imagine many many dishes have been tried. Basically i am afoodie and a lover of cooking. My entire passion is cooking and dont mind standing kitchen to get out a delicious food. Though i know most recipes of cooking but when i start to i am checking ur website once upto that way my daughter is asking “sambar sadam neeyae nall thanamma panveenga ethukku athukku kooda phone parkureenga”. She is seven years old and she too watches ur episodes daily and since a week she is not finding u in LF in Travel XP and saying that last episode when she met you she found that you were having cold and so only u have taken some rest from your show.
Regarding the taste i got, awesome mam
N number of sambars i have tried annapoorna, ratna cafe style, dharshini hotel sambar all came out very well. I am working as ADE in Highways Dept., GoTN and i am encouraging my colleagues to follow ur website.
Many bakery items too tried.
Daily following your website for new recipes.
Cinnammom swirl came out awesome.
75 percent recipes tried mam.
Today too Annapurna style sambar.
KC cooks has become my family friend now.
Since that day i wanted to write to u.
This day has come.
Thank you for all ur writing.
With Regards,
S.Karthikha, Chennai.
A Great food Lover.
Hi Karthika,
Thank you so much for taking time to write to me. Very kind of you.
It means a lot to me.
A big hi to your daughter.
The local flavours show will be re telecasted soon. I hope so.
I am so glad that you like the recipes.
Stay safe and happy cooking
Suguna.
Made it. Came out very good. My husband loved it. Bless u for the superb recipe.
Tried it today… Was fantastic! Thank you 🙂
Hello. Delicious kootu. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you so much for the recipe! 🙂
Thank you!
Can i make this without onion/garlic?
I was looking for a different variety of recipe using chow chow. This one I found it different and tried. It came out really well. I even modified from my side by adding some fried chopped coconut (similar to what we put in neyyappam) and wallahhhh !!!! it gave me a different taste. Added a couple of more cloves to give a little more spicy as well. Thanks for this.
Lovely recipe- my family and friends liked it very much. Thank you 😊
It Was yummy gravey
Hi, I tried this recipe yesterday and it was extremely tasty. Me and my husband both loved it. Thanks!
Thank you Poonguzhali. What a lovely name! Glad you liked the recipe.
Hahaha! Thanks! All the same, credit for my name goes to my father. I will pass on your comments to him. 🙂 Your recipes are all so unique and have different styles too. Your blog is a treasure and I really am happy that I found it.
Thank you so much!
Hi! A quick question please. Can the same recipe be used for vegetables like Ridge gourd or cabbage?
Hi Poonguzhali,
Yes. It will work with these veggies.
Thanks for the great recipe, tried it out today and found it really delicious
Just now sent the link to my lady love have to try once then let you know
Hope you guys like it!
I have tried this dish come out very well thanks for giving this kind of recipe , n need more with different kind of recipe.
thank you!
I tried this and it came awesome. Loving chow chow for the first time 🙂
Thanks so much. Really glad that you liked the recipe. Happy Cooking.
I have tried dindigul meen kulambu from your blog & it came out well.
However, this chow chow was not great in taste. I used same amount of veggie and spices
Yet my hubby didn’t like the taste.
Sorry this recipe did not work for you Lavvanya.
Tried this receipe today.. Tasted good
Thank you!
Tried this kootu. It came our really so tasty. Thank u so much for posting this recipe.
Thank You Mrs. Prasanth!
My friend followed this recipe and the kurma tasted soo yumm. Thanks for posting !!