Poricha Kootu / Elephant Yam curry

Poricha Kootu, always my family's favourite. What makes the difference between kootu and poricha kootu? In poricha kootu, coconut is fried to golden brown and added to the gravy.

Sharing with you the poricha kootu made using Elephant Yam (Suran / Chenai / Chena).

Ingridients :-

1. Elephant Yam (cubed) - 1 cup
2. Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Asafoetida Powder - a pinch
6. Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
9. Whole Urad - 1 tsp
10. Red Chillies - 2 Nos
11. Green Chilli - 1 No.
12.  Water to cook the dal and vegetable

 Procedure :-

• Clean, peel and dice the elephant yam

• Soak chana dal for 30 min or you may cook it directly too. Cook Chana dal till done but see to that it don't turn up mushy.

•  Cook elephant yam adding turmeric powder, Slit green chilli, salt and water. Some water should be left after the elephant yam is cooked. So accordinly, you can drain or add some water.

• Add the cooked chana dal, mix gently

• Heat oil in a wok, add mustard seeds, when it start crackling, add whole urad. fry till it turns golden in colour. Add curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida, red chillies.

•  When the chillies are fried a little, add grated coconut and  fry till it turns golden brown in colour.

•  Add this tempering to the cooked yam dal mixture and gentle stir and adjust the salt if required.

•  Yummy Cheani poricha kootu / yam curry is ready!

VARIATIONS / Suggestions : - 

1. You can make similar curry using Pumpkin (kaddhu, manjal poosani), ridge gourd (thuriya / Peekangai), Fenugreek greens (Methi sag / vendhayakeerai) 
2. lentil can also be substituted using green gram dal (moong / paasi parupu / siru paruppu)

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