Thiruvathirai Kavathu kootu / poduthuval

Thiruvathirai kali and kootu

This kootu is the main side dish for Thiruvathirai kali.The main ingredient of this kootu is " Kavathu". This is a root vegetable which can be found only in Kerala. In other places it is very difficult to get this vegetable.

As I go to Peruvemba (our ancestral village in Kerala) during Christmas every year, I try to get kavathu and koorka (chinese potato) from there. But this time I forgot to get Kavathu.

Here is the recipe of kootu made with a combination of five vegetables.( SERVES 4)

Ingredients
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Koorka

• Koorka        - 100 grams
• Raw banana - 1 big
• Pumpkin      -  200 grams
• Broad beans - 200 grams
• Yam             - 200 grams
• Green chillies - 4 to 5
• Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
• Coconut oil            - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds       - 1 tsp
• split urad dal         - 1/2 tsp
• curry leaves          - few
• salt                        - to taste
• turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:

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• If you are using Koorka, wash them in running water (under tap) to remove the mud completely.
• Pressure cook on a low flame for 10 min .
• Once taken out from the cooker, rinse in cold water again and peel off its skin.( just press with your thumb)Chop the big ones into small pieces .
• Chop all the other vegetables into small cubes( 2cm x 2 cm approximately)
• With a pinch of turmeric powder, pressure cook all the vegetables together for 15 min on a low flame.(Add water just enough to immerse the vegetables)
• Grind green chillies and coconut coarsely.( Just 1 or 2 pulses will do)
• Slightly mash the cooked vegetables along with koorka so that they merge together.
• Add salt, ground coconut- chilli to the cooked veggies.
• Mix well and allow it to boil.( add water if required to adjust the consistency if it is too thick)
• Temper with mustard seeds,urad dal and curry leaves in coconut oil and add to the kootu.

Serve hot with Thiruvathirai kali.Refer to festival section for the kali recipe.