Poricha kootu (பொரிச்ச கூட்டு)

Poricha kootu is a traditional Brahmin recipe and is very light on your stomach. My grandmother used to make poricha kootu often. It tastes wonderful with rasam satham and makes a great combo with vathal kuzhambu. 

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Vegetables – cut into small pieces, 3 teacups*

Moong dhal – ½ tumbler or 100 ml measure*

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Split urad dhal – ½ teaspoon

Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves – a few

To be ground into a paste:

Coconut – 2 tablespoons

Jeera – ½ teaspoon

Green chilli – 3 to 4 (adjust to taste)

*Broad beans, chow-chow, brinjal, cluster beans, french beans, snake gourd, cabbage, carrot or ridge gourd may be prepared in this manner.

*Toor dhal may be used instead of moong dhal. Pressure cook toor dhal separately, and add to cooked vegetables.

Ridge gourd poricha kootu (பீர்க்கங்காய் பொரிச்ச கூட்டு )

Method: Wash the dhal well. Place the cut vegetables and dhal with 2 tumblers (400ml) of water in a kadai. Add turmeric powder and salt to the vegetables. Cover and cook on a low flame. Keep a ladle in the kadai, to prevent dhal from boiling over. Grind coconut, jeera and green chillies into a fine paste. Once the vegetables and dhal are cooked well, add the ground paste, mix well and bring it to boil. Switch off the fire. Heat coconut oil in a tadka pan/spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds, when they start to sputter, add urad dhal and fry till the dhal turns golden brown. Remove from fire. Add the seasonings and curry leaves to the kootu. Serve hot with rice and rasam/ sambar/ kuzhambu. 

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