Watch how to make Kerala Kootu Curry or roasted coconut with mixed vegetables and chickpeas

Preparation time: 20 mins 

Cooking time: 35 mins 

Serves: 10  

Ingredients 

200 gms of kadala or whole Bengal Gram

250 gms of elephant yam 

250 gms of raw plantain 

1 ½ cup of grated coconut, for roasting

¾ cup of grated coconut, for grinding

1 ¼ tsp of whole cumin 

2 tsp of red chilli powder 

2 tsp of black pepper powder 

3 tbsp of urad dal (black gram) 

1 tsp of mustard seeds 

½ tsp of turmeric powder 

3 tbsp of coconut oil 

1 tbsp of jaggery powder 

Salt for taste 

400 – 500 ml of water (depends on the cooking time of the yam) 

Method 

Step: 1 

Soak whole Bengal Gram for a few hours in water, rinse well and pressure cook them for about 3 whistles. Drain the water and keep aside. 

Step: 2 

Wash and clean the raw plantain and elephant yam, remove the skin and cut into small cubes and soak in water.  

Step: 3 

Grind  ¾ cup of grated coconut and 1 teaspoon of cumin to make a coarse paste with 50 ml of water and keep it aside.

Step: 4 

Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Then add skinned black gram or urad dal, stir continuously until it turns golden. 

Step: 5 

Add  1 ½ cup of grated coconut, ¼ tsp of cumin, salt to taste and two sprigs of curry leaves. Roast them until the grated coconut turns golden. Add 1 tsp of pepper powder and stir for another one minute.  

Step: 6 

Remove the roasted coconut from the pan and allow it to cool. 

Step: 7 

In another pan cook the plantain cubes and elephant yam cubes, cooked chickpeas, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of pepper powder, salt, and a sprig of curry leaves in 400 ml of water.  

Step: 8 

Cover the pan and cook on a medium flame until done. Occasionally stir and add more water if required. 

Step: 9

Add the ground coconut paste and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes on low flame with the lid covered. 

Step:10 

Thereafter open the pan and stir continuously for some more time till 95 per cent of the water evaporates. Then add the jaggery powder and mix well. 

Step: 11 

Finally, add the roasted coconut and mix well. Stir continuously for some more time over a low flame.  Once done, serve with steamed rice. 

Notes: 

1. Keeping the cut pieces of yam and plantain in water helps to maintain their original colour. 

2. Ideally coconut oil is the best for this preparation however any refined oil can be used. 

3. Adding jaggery is optional. 

Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.