Chayote koottu

Ingredients:
Moong dal, split - 1/2 cup
Moong dal, whole - 1/2 cup
Chayote, cut into bite-size pieces - 2
Dried red chilies - 3
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Sambar powder (optional) - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coconut, grated - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:
Wash and rinse the dal until the water runs clear. Soak for 10-15 min and drain. Add 2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric and two drops of oil and mix.

Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot.  Using a trivet, place a container with the dal and place the chayote pieces on top in another container. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.

In the meantime, blend the coconut and 1 tsp of cumin seeds along with 1-1.5 red chilies and enough water to make a thick paste.

Heat a saucepan and add oil. Add mustard seeds and the remaining cumin seeds and chilies. Add asafoetida. Mix well. Stir in the chayote pieces and coat well. Add the lentils and 1/2 cup water, mix well. Cook on a medium-low flame until the ingredients come to a boil. Add the sambar powder if using, and cook until the raw smell goes away. Add the coconut paste, mix well, and cook for another five minutes.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Chow chow (chayote) mor kuzhambu (spicy buttermilk soup), Instant Pot version

Ingredients:

Chayote, cut into large pieces - 4 large

Buttermilk or diluted whisked yogurt - 2 L

Paste

Rice - 1/4 cup

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Coconut, shredded or in strips - 1 cup

Green chilies - 3-4

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Ginger, chopped coarsely - 2" piece

Turmeric powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Salt - 2 tsp or to taste

Seasoning/garnish

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Udad dal - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Coriander leaves, chopped fine - 1/4 cup

Method:

Cook the chayote in the Instant Pot on the pressure cooker setting for 6 min. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

In the meantime, wash and soak the rice and toor dal for 30 min, then blend into a thick paste along with the coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, and ginger. Add buttermilk to this paste, mixing thoroughly to avoid lumps. Season with salt and add turmeric powder. Heat on low in a large pot until it starts to boil, stirring occasionally to check for deposits on the bottom of the pot. As the liquid heats, it will gradually change colour due to the turmeric. Turn off the stove.

In a small pot or pan, heat the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds, udad dal, and asafoetida. When the seeds splutter, turn off the stove and mix this seasoning into the mor kuzhambu. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice and papad.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Source: This recipe.

Chow chow (chayote) poriyal, Instant Pot version

Ingredients:

Chow chow, washed and cut into medium-sized pieces

Coconut, coarsely ground - 1/3 cup

Green chilies, coarsely ground - 1-2

Cumin seeds, coarsely ground - 1-2 tsp

Turmeric powder

Salt

Seasoning:
Oil - 1 tbsp

Udad dal - 1-2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Fill the Instant Pot with just enough water to submerge the chow chow pieces. Mix in salt and a pinch of turmeric. Cook on the pressure cooker setting for 7 min. Manually release the pressure after 30-40 min. The pieces show be soft and cooked all the way through without falling apart. Drain.

Mix in the coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds, and salt.

Heat oil in a small container and fry the udad dal and mustard seeds till they start spluttering. Add to the veggies. Mix well. Optionally, mix in cooked toor dal.

Serve with rice.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Chayote with Moong Dal

Ingredients

To pressure cook:

Chayote, cubed -- 2

Moong dal -- 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Tomatoes -- 2 (I used canned)

Garlic -- 6-8 pods

Green chilies, slit lengthwise -- 2

Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste

Seasoning:

Oil - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Garnish:

Coriander leaves, chopped - 3-4 tbsp

Method:

Add all the ingredients in the "pressure cook" section into the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 6 min. Allow pressure to release naturally.

Heat oil in a small container, splutter the cumin and mustard seeds and add to the dal. Mix well. Check for salt.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Additionally delicious option:

Heat some oil, add panchphoron and whole green chilies and fry until the seeds splutter. Add chundakkai and fry well. Add chopped onions and salt and fry until translucent. Add 2 tsp of sambar powder, mix well. Add 1 cup boiled water and 1-1.5 tsp tamarind paste. Cook until raw smell goes away, then add the cooked lentils and chayote. Mix well, simmer for five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Author:

Shrinkingsodacan