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Chow chow kootu recipe, how to make chow chow kootu

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Chow chow kootu recipe, learn how to make chow chow kootu or chayote squash kootu recipe, a Tamil-style recipe that goes great with rasam and rice.
Chow Chow Kootu Recipe | Tamil-Style Kootu Recipe

No kootu I’ve ever made has looked as pretty as this Chow Chow Kootu. The mom-in-law made this the day after they landed in Singapore earlier last month. Thank God I had some chow chow languishing in the fridge. Sometimes, letting vegetables stay in there results in good things – like this kootu.

You can also try making chow chow chutney recipe and chow chow sambar if you love this vegetable (also known as chayote squash) as much as we do.

Chow chow kootu recipe
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian Sides
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chow chow, cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup channa dal / Bengal gram / kadala paruppu
Grind Together:
  • ½ cup grated coconut
  • A pinch of turmeric
  • 1 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 green chilli (optional)
  • Salt to taste
For Tempering:
  • 2 tsp (coconut) oil
  • ¼ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp urad dal (optional)
  • A generous pinch of hing / asafoetida
  • A few curry leaves
Instructions
  1. Wash and soak the Bengal gram
  2. Add to the cut, cleaned chow chow
  3. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil
  4. Add turmeric powder and a few curry leaves and cook on simmer until the chow chow is cooked soft and the Bengal gram is cooked yet firm (about 15-20 mins)
  5. Add salt
  6. While the chow chow and Bengal gram cooks, grind the ingredients under "grind together" with a bit of added water
  7. Add to the cooked chow chow mixture
  8. Mix well and simmer until all extra water is absorbed and the mixture takes a thick consistency
  9. Heat oil for tempering and add ingredients in the order given
  10. Once the mustard seeds pop and the urad dal turns brown (if using) dunk everything into the kootu mixture and mix well
  11. Adjust salt
  12. Serve hot with rice and kuzhambu of choice

Step by Step Chow Chow Kootu Recipe:

Wash and soak the Bengal gram for around 30 mins to 1 hour

chow chow kootu recipe
Add to the cut, cleaned chow chow

chow chow kootu recipe
Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil

chow chow kootu recipe
Add turmeric powder and a few curry leaves and cook on simmer until the chow chow is cooked soft and the Bengal gram is cooked yet firm (about 15-20 mins)

chow chow kootu recipe
Add salt

chow chow kootu recipe
While the chow chow and Bengal gram cooks, grind the ingredients under “grind together” with a bit of added water

chow chow kootu recipe-6chow chow kootu recipe
Add to the cooked chow chow mixture. Wash out the grinder and add 1 cup water to this mixture.

chow chow kootu recipe
Mix well and simmer until all extra water is absorbed and the mixture takes a thick consistency

chow chow kootu recipe
Heat oil for tempering and add ingredients in the order given

chow chow kootu recipe
Once the mustard seeds pop and the urad dal turns brown (if using) dunk everything into the kootu mixture and mix well. Adjust salt. Serve hot with rice and kuzhambu of choice

chow chow kootu recipe

Notes: 
– If the chow chow kootu is too watery even after simmering for a while, mix 1 tsp rice flour with some water and add to the mixture. Bring to light boil and the mixture should get thicker.
– Another alternative is to drain the water once the chow chow and channa dal have cooked. I don’t prefer this method too much because of the loss of nutrients through the water.
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  1. Chow chow is also called "Banglore kathirikkai (brinjal / egg plant)" in Madras. I have been told (by people who are not from Madras) that it is wrong to call it by that name because "Banglore kathirikkai" is a a different vegetable. Obviously…as this is not an egg plant at all! But in Madras, if you ask for Banglore kathirikkai you will get chow chow. It is Chayote squash in USA, used in Mexican cooking and widely available in all supermarkets. I was surprised to learn that so many of the vegetables used in Indian cooking originate from other countries. This one from Mexico, Kohl rabi (nool kol) from Germany etc. and of course potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,green peas etc.

    Reply

  2. I Tried this yesterday and the dish came out really well.Infact my hubby loved this version a lot!! I have never been a fan of chow chow, but this recipe has made me change my mind..

    Reply

  6. to all kutu fans,
    soak 2 -3 tsp of tur dal for half an hour. Add the tur dal, 1 tsp homemade sambhar powder and 8-10 curry leaves to the above ingredients (the green curry spots in the masala look very attractive and gives a very different tase and aroma) to the ingredients mentioned above for the kutu gravy… it tastes amazing as promised by my MIL.
    Chow Chow can be replaced with white pumpkin (ash gourd), snake gourd, bottle gourd as the need or availability demands. Chow-chow is rarely available here.. but the Ash-Gourd kutu is heavenly and made at least once a week in our home.
    As You said, the water need not be drained-i simply cook with it!
    Hing / asafoetida should also be added after the cooking is done along with corriander leaves for garnish – then turn once.
    Add 1-2 tbspn of curd just before serving.
    Some MIL tips i follow with my eyes closed…

    Reply

  7. sorry to sound stupid, but what is a chow chow? This looks good and would like to make it but don't know what a chow chow is?

    Reply

  12. Any way to make kootu without coconut? I'm allergic :(. My husband loves kootu but because of my allergy, i cant make any of them. Any ideas?

    Reply

    • you could leave the coconut out and maybe add besan or rice flour mixed with water to thicken the gravy but it's definitely not going to taste as great.

      Reply

  13. hey, ive tried this recipe. it came out really well. today i tried this with raw papaya instead of chow chow. to my surprise it came out really well. thank u nagas for the wonderful recipe….

    Reply

  17. Just made it for dinner. This is awesome. This will be a regular for sure. I used to see this veggie at Fairprice and wonder how to use this, now I know :D.

    Reply

  18. I totally agree Nags, Oh my, the kootu looks so vibrant and pretty and yummy. I can't wait to get back home and eat all my mom's food. :-).

    Siri

    Reply

  24. Hi Nags
    Very colorful…Chowchow koottu is one of the favourite recipes in our home and I make it atleast once a week. The ingredients I use is a bit different from your list, with Chana Dal being replaced by moong dal and for grinding, we use only coconut, greenchillies and cumin seeds.
    Will try out your version too soon…

    Reply
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