Capsicum Kootu: (குடைமிளகாய் கூட்டு)

Capsicum Kootu: (குடைமிளகாய் கூட்டு)

Kootu seems to the easiest one among side dish for lunch and its also healthy. Normally my mom makes it with chow chow or snakegourd I have tried the same with capsicum and also zucchini and spring onions. And everytime I make it I love the smell of coconut oil spreading around and makes a picturisque view of Kerala in my brain.

                                   Capsicum Kootu recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins     |  Serves: 4

Ingredients

 Toor dhall - 1 handfull

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Channa dhall -1 handfull

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Onion - 1 lemon sized (chopped finely)

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Salt - As needed

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Tomato - 1/2,  chopped finely

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Capsicum - 1 , chopped finely

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Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp

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Cilantro - 2 stems ( finely chopped)
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Chilly powder(thaniya pow mixed) - 1/4 tsp

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Asafoetida - a pinch

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To Temper :

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Curry leaves- 5 nos

Red chilly - 1nos

Ginger - 4 chopped pieces

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To Grind :

Desicated coconut - 1 handfull

Rice flour-1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

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Method:

• First chop the capsicum, onions and tomato finely. You can use 2 colours or 3 coloured casicums too. I have used orange and yellow coloured ones. Meanwhile grind coconut with rice flour and jeera in a mixie. Here I use packed desicated cocnut so I have soaked it in water for 15mins with jeera an rice flour because it needs time to get fuffy. Rice flour is used to make the paste creamy and also the kootu.
  
• Now take a cooker and add the dhalls and chopped ingredients to it. Add asafoetida, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder with 2glasses of water. Water level till they get immersed is enough. Let it cook for 5 whistles. (Indian dhalls just need 3). People living abroad need to cook it for 5 generally.
  
• Now when it is cooked whisk it well coz kids generally pull out the skin of vegetables. In a kadaai add oil and add the temper ingredients. Ginger slices are added to give a nice aroma. Now transfer the contents of the cooker to the kadaai and let it boil for 5mins. Now add the contents of mixie and mix it well. After boiling it for 5mins garnish with cilantro and serve.
  
• Now the Kootu is ready. It can be served as a maincourse with rice or as a side dish with Rasam or Variety rice types.