Udupi-Style Vegetable Kootu Recipe

Cooking is one of my passions. I like to make simple, nutritious, and tasty foods at home.

Healthy and Delicious Vegetable Kootu

Vegetable kootu is a special sambar made with mixed vegetables, lentils, and spices. In Udupi and Mysore, this dish is traditionally served with cooked rice and is especially popular during family functions. This sambar tempts the eater with its pleasant color, aroma, and taste.

This dish is packed with vegetables, including French beans, pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, and green peas. Also incorporated into the dish are white lentils, split pigeon pea (toor dal), split chickpeas (chana dal), groundnut (peanut), coconut, and spices.

This recipe is easy to make and takes only about 30 minutes to prepare. Serve hot with plain rice for lunch or dinner. Enjoy the taste and health benefits!

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup carrots, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup French beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1/3 cup split pegion peas (toor dal)
• 3 teaspoons white lentils
• 2 teaspoons split chickpeas
• 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• 4-5 dried red chilies (byadagi chilies)
• 8 peppercorns
• 3/4 cup grated coconut
• 2 pinches turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon jaggery powder (optional, to balance the taste)
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

1. Wash toor dal 2-3 times in water; then discard the water. Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon oil, washed peanuts, and turmeric powder. Cook in a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
2. Once the pressure releases completely, open the cooker lid. Take out the cooked toor dal and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a deep-bottomed pan. Add split chickpeas, white lentils, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, broken red chilies, and cinnamon sticks. Saute on medium heat until the lentils become golden brown. Add grated coconut. Saute the mixture for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat. When it cools down, add it to a mixer. While adding water, make a near-smooth paste. Set aside.
4. Add the vegetables, 2 cups water, and 1 tablespoon salt to a cooking vessel. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are 90% cooked (about 6-7 minutes). Reduce the heat.
5. Add the paste. Add 1/2 cup water, jaggery powder, and tamarind paste. Mix well. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add cooked toor dal and peanut mixture. Mix well. Cook the mixture for 2 more minutes. This curry should have a thick consistency. Add water and mix well to get the right consistency. Turn off the heat. Now, Udupi-style vegetable kootu is ready!
6. Make the tempering: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Throw in the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add curry leaves. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Add the tempering to the kootu.
7. Mix well at the time of serving. Serve with cooked rice. Enjoy the delicious meal!

Photo Guide

Comments

ShailaSheshadri (author) from Bengaluru on June 10, 2021:

Thanks for the lovely comment.

Rozlin from UAE on June 09, 2021:

Hi, Shaila. It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.