Photo: FotoosVanRobin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tamilnadu · Lunch

Vazhakai Kootu (வாழைக்காய் கூட்டு)

Traditional 19. Vazhakai Kootu recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 2 raw green bananas (vazhakai), peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• ½ cup chana dal, pressure cooked until just soft
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ cup fresh coconut, grated
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 4 tbsp water — grind to smooth paste
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 dried red chilies, broken
• ¼ tsp asafoetida

👩‍🍳 How to make Vazhakai Kootu

1. Peel raw banana — the skin will stain hands brown (rub with oil before peeling or use gloves).
2. Cut into 2 cm cubes.
3. Immediately soak in water with a pinch of turmeric to prevent browning.
4. Drain banana.
5. In a pot, cook banana cubes with ½ cup water, ¼ tsp turmeric, and ¼ tsp salt on medium heat for 8–10 minutes until completely tender — they should offer no resistance when pierced with a fork and should have a dense, cooked potato-like texture.
6. Blend coconut, cumin, green chilies with water to smooth paste.
7. To the cooked banana, add cooked chana dal and the coconut paste.
8. Add remaining ½ tsp salt.
9. Mix gently.
10. Cook on medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes until coconut paste cooks through and kootu comes together as a thick, cohesive mass.
11. Heat sesame oil in a small pan.
12. Crackle mustard seeds.
13. Fry urad dal golden.
14. Add red chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida — sizzle.
15. Pour over kootu.
16. Stir gently.
17. Serve.

Track the macros of Vazhakai Kootu and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.