Butternut squash kootu is a fusion recipe of cooking locally available squashes into South Indian flavor. Are you in a foreign land and have access to only unfamiliar veggies and still wish to make South Indian food?
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The satisfaction and the happiness that fetches me from the success of a recipe gives me a feeling of touching the moon and returning to the earth.
Butternut squash has a hard skin, making removing it more challenging. Use sharp knives or peelers to do this job perfectly.
For making kootu, we may need about 500 grams of squash per day; the remaining can be stored in the refrigerator for later use.
Kootu is a side dish from South India that needs less oil but is protein-rich. It can also be served along with roti/pulkas. This kootu perfectly pairs with Kuzhambu tangy tamarind gravy.
You may also see this Healthy Butternut squash mac n cheese recipe, which the children would love.
How to make Butternut squash kootu
Chop onion into fine pieces. Slit green chilies. Wash and clean Curry leaves. Peel the skin of the butternut squash using the peeler.
Hint: The outer skin of the squash would be very hard to run the knife. Watch your hand and be careful while peeling it.
When all the veggies got ready for cooking, Rinse and clean Chenna Dal. Pressure cook it until they cooked.
Chop the squash into small-sized cubes.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, followed by Urad dal. Allow mustard seeds to splutter in the oil. Then, add chopped onion, curry leaves, and stilted green chilies. Saute until the onion becomes pink and translucent.
Then add butternut squash pieces along with a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add salt and turmeric powder. Keep covered and cook until they become soft.
Now add cooked chenna dal and continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes or until dal and squash blend well with each other.
Serve Butternut Squash Kootu hot with rice.
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Printable recipe card
Butternut squash kootu
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 green chili / serrano pepper
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 lb butternut squash
- ¼ cup chana dal /split chickpea
- ½ cup water for cooking chana dal
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal /skinless black gram
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup water for cooking squash
- ½ teaspoon salt or as required
Instructions
- Chop onion into fine pieces. Slit green chili. Wash and clean curry leaves. Peel the skin of butternut squash using the peeler.
- Rinse and drain chana dal with half cup of water. Pressure cook it with until they cooked.
- Chop the squash into small sized cubes.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds followed by urad dal. Allow mustard seeds to splutter in the oil. Then add chopped onion, curry leaves, and stilted green chilies. Saute until onion becomes pink and translucent.
- Add squash, ½ cup water, and salt. Cook till fork tender.
- Finally, add cooked and drained chana dal. Cook further for four minutes.
- Transfer to servering bowl.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions For Butternut Squash Kootu:
1. Serve as a side dish to steamed rice.
2. This recipe perfectly matches Chapathi/Roti and a cup of curd.
Tips and Variations:
1. First, pressure cook channa dal separately to finish the cooking in a pressure cooker. Later, add seasoning along with chopped squash pieces, and pressure cook it again for 2 whistles.
2. Add grated coconut at the end, which is the authentic way of preparing it.
Tips For Cooking in Non-Indian Kitchen:
1. Avoid seasoning with mustard, urad dal, and curry leaves if available.
2. Add chopped garlic for seasoning.
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