Chow-chow (chayote) dal

This preparation falls somewhere between kootu and dal - it isnt a kootu because it doesnt have ground coconut masala to flavour it and it isnt quite a dal because I added sambar powder as flavouring. Whatever, it tastes just great with chapatis and is just as nice with rice. I guess there are plenty of cooks out there who have various ingenious ways too make this vegetable, but for someone like me, who has only tried it the "kootu" way, this recipe was quite radical. Especially as it was more or less off-the-cuff!

Recipe for: Chow-chow (chayote) dal



Ingredients:

2 cups chayote squash/chowchow, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup tuvar dal
1/4 cup chana dal
2 small onions, chopped fine
2 tomatoes, chopped fine
3 green chillies, made into a paste or minced
2 dry red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp oil
1 tbsp sambar powder
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Pressure cook the chow-chow with the two dals. (If you dont have a pressure cooker, cook the tuvar dal separately to a mush, and cook the chana dal & chowchow together till done. The chana dal shouldnt be very mushy.)

2. In a pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, cover and let them pop. Then put in the cumin seeds, green chilli paste, red chillies and curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the onions now, stir well and cook till they turn soft. Then add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and cover, cooking till the sauce is thick and the tomatoes mushy.

4. Now stir in the coriander powder and sambar powder and then add the cooked vegetable and dals. Add salt to taste.

5. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapaties or over steamed rice.