Chow Chow Kootu | Easy Tamil Nadu Style Chayote Squash Kootu

square image of chayote kootu served in ceramic serveware

5 from 3 votes

Chow Chow Kootu | Easy Tamil Nadu Style Chayote Squash Kootu

A simple Tamil Nadu-style chayote squash kootu — a hearty vegetable stew with lentils and freshly ground spices, made without onion or garlic. A perfect accompaniment to steamed rice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Entree

Cuisine: TamilNadu

Keyword: chow chow kootu

Servings:

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Equipment

Pressure Cooker
Blender

Ingredients

Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml;

To Pressure Cook

¼ cup moong dal
¾ cup water
2 chayote squash approx. 475 g, peeled and cubed

To Grind (Kootu Masala)

⅓ cup grated coconut if using frozen, thaw to room temperature
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chilies

Other Ingredients

1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp cilantro chopped (optional, for garnish)

For Tempering

2 tsp oil preferably coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp chana dal
5 –6 curry leaves
⅛ tsp asafoetida

Instructions

In a vessel that fits inside your pressure cooker, rinse the moong dal thoroughly.
Add the water, then place the cubed chayote on top. There's no need to add extra water over the vegetables — chayote naturally releases moisture during cooking. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening.
In a blender, combine the grated coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds. Add ¼ to ½ cup of water and grind into a smooth paste. Set aside.
If you used a heavy-bottomed vessel for pressure cooking (as shown in the video), you can use it directly on the stovetop for the next steps. Otherwise, transfer the cooked dal and vegetables to a saucepan or kadai — do not drain any liquid. Stir the dal and vegetables together and add salt, cilantro (if using), and the ground coconut paste.
Bring to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat.
For the tempering, heat the coconut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds splutter, turn off the heat and pour the tempering over the kootu. Serve chow chow kootu with steamed rice and pickle or papad, or as a side dish alongside rice and rasam or rice and sambar.

Notes

The tempering can be done at the beginning (directly in the cooking vessel) or separately at the end — either way works well.
Adjust the green or red chilies and salt to your taste.
Cumin seeds can be increased to up to 1.5 tbsp for this quantity, but avoid exceeding that amount.

One-Pot Pressure Cooker Method: To make this a one-pot kootu, start by doing the tempering directly in the pressure cooker. Add the chopped chayote, moong dal, salt, and pressure-cook for 3 whistles. Once the pressure releases, give everything a good mix, add the ground coconut paste, and bring to a boil in the cooker itself. For extra flavor, drizzle 1 tsp of coconut oil just before serving.

Nutrition