Mixed Vegetable Kootu | Karnataka Style Kootu | Kootu Recipes

A simple South Indian fare for lunch is the most satisfying meals one can eat. It can just involve a simple sambar/huLi or saaru/rasam along with some palya/thoran to with rice. A little curd to end the meal, and that is meals served! So let’s make this simple and humble lunch a bit more exciting. Let us learn the recipe of a Karnataka style mixed vegetable kootu.
Kootu is the richer cousin of sambar, it is generally a bit demanding than a regular sambar. They have freshly roasted and ground up masala added to a dal base. Any kind of suitable vegetable can go into a kootu. Here’s how about we make a Karnataka style mixed vegetable kootu with loads of fresh vegetables.

Mixed vegetable kootu also has some fun things in it like crunchy groundnuts. This instantly gives the feeling of a special occasion. I make kootu on weekends or on festivals like Varamahalakshmi habba or Ugadi. The fresh masala makes all the difference. So more kootu recipes for you, sorekayi kootu. Also try more sambar recipes like tiffin sambar, beetroot huLi. Simpler saaru/rasam recipes like carrot saaru, pepper-jeera saaru, instant tomato saaru etc from FOI!

Mixed Vegetable Kootu | Karnataka Style Kootu | Kootu Recipes

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Masaledaar and loaded with vegetables, fresh Karnataka style mixed vegetable kootu

Author: Vindhya Desai

Recipe type: Lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

For Masala:

• 1 Tbsp dhania
• 6-7 black pepper
• ½ Tsp jeera
• ¼ Tsp menthya/methi
• 2 dry red chilli
• 1 Tsp kadale bele/chana dal
• 1 Tsp uddina bele/urad dal
• 2 pieces dalchini
• 2 crystals ingu
• ¼ Cup grated coconut
  

Mixed Vegetables:

• 8-10 chopped beans
• 1 medium diced carrot
• 1-2 small diced potato
• 1 Cup cauliflower florets
• ¼ Cup green peas
  

For Dal:

• ½ Cup toor dal/pigeon pea dal/arhar dal
• Few drops of ghee/oil
• ¼ Tsp turmeric
• 1 pinch hing
• 1 piece jaggery
• ¼ Cup hunase/tamarind extract/imli
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tsp sambar powder [optional]
  

For Tadka:

• 1 Tbsp ghee/oil
• 1 Tsp mustard
• 8-10 curry leaves
• ¼ Cup groundnuts
• Coriander to garnish

Method

1. Wash toor dal twice, pour 1½ Cups water, add few drops of ghee/oil, turmeric and hing
2. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles or till soft, allow it to cool
3. In a small pan, roast, all masala ingredients except coconut, till aromatic and golden
4. When the masala ingredients are golden, allow it to cool
5. Chop the vegetables and boil them for 5-10 minutes till soft
6. Clean cauliflower, get florets ready
7. Blanch cauliflower in salted water for 5 minutes
8. Grind masala with coconut into a paste
9. Mash dal well and bring it back onto heat
10. Add ground masala paste
11. Next add jaggery and tamarind extract
12. Add salt as per taste
13. Optionally add little sambar powder for extra flavour
14. Mix very well
15. Next add cooked vegetables, peas and blanched cauliflower
16. Bring it to a light boil
17. For tadka, heat oil or ghee, splutter mustard and curry leaves, fry
18. Next add groundnuts and fry till crisp
19. Pour tadka over kootu
20. Add some chopped coriander on top
21. Serve hot with rice!

Notes

You can also steam the vegetables in a cooker or steamer for 5 minutes

Always roast masala ingredients on low flame

Adjust chillies as per your taste, add 1-2 more if you can handle the heat!

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Mixed Vegetable Kootu Stepwise:

Wash toor dal twice, pour 1 1/2 Cups water, add few drops of ghee/oil, turmeric and hing
  

Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles or till soft, allow it to cool

In a small pan, roast, all masala ingredients except coconut, till aromatic and golden
 

When the masala ingredients are golden, allow it to cool
 

Chop the vegetables and boil them for 5-10 minutes till soft
 

Clean cauliflower, get florets ready
 

Blanch cauliflower in salted water for 5 minutes

Grind masala with coconut into a paste
      

Mash dal well and bring it back onto heat

Add ground masala paste

Next add jaggery and tamarind extract

Add salt as per taste

Optionally add little sambar powder for extra flavour

Mix very well
 

Next add cooked vegetables, peas and blanched cauliflower
 

Bring it to a light boil

For tadka, heat oil or ghee, splutter mustard and curry leaves, fry

Next add groundnuts and fry till crisp

Pour tadka over kootu

Add some chopped coriander on top

Serve hot with rice!