Thayir Sertha Kootu (தயிர் சேர்த்த கூட்டு)

Thayir sertha kootu or aviyal is generally included in the traditional feast menu. This preparation goes well with sambar as well as rasam.

Ingredients: (Serves four)

Vegetables – cut into small pieces, 4 teacups*

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Split urad dhal – 1 teaspoon

Bengal gram dhal – 1 teaspoon

Fresh curds – ½ tumbler or 100ml

Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves – a few

To be ground into a paste:

Coconut – 2 tablespoons

Jeera – ½ teaspoon

Green chilli – 2 to 3 (adjust to taste)

* Chow-chow, ash gourd or plantain may be prepared in this manner.

Thayir sertha kootu with ashgourd and black eyed peas (தடியங்காய் காராமணி தயிர் சேர்த்த கூட்டு)

Method: Cover and cook cut vegetables with salt and little water in a kadai on a low flame.  You need not add water if ash gourd is used as it will become watery when cooked (நீர்த்து விடும்). Grind coconut, jeera and green chillies into a fine paste. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the ground paste, mix well and bring it to boil. Now add curds and mix well. Switch off the fire. Heat coconut oil in a tadka pan (spice heating pan/தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds, when they start to sputter, add urad dhal and Bengal gram dhal, and fry till the dhals turn golden brown. Remove from fire. Add the seasonings to the kootu and garnish with curry leaves . Serve hot with rice and rasam/ kuzhambu.

Note: You may add two tablespoon of pressure cooked whole green gram (பச்சை பயறு)/ black eyed peas (காராமணி), or boiled green peas (பச்சை பட்டாணி) to the kootu. This improves the taste as well the nutritional value of the kootu. 

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