Chayote & Carrot Poricha Kuzhambu

One of my mom's specialty dishes is this simple and tasty lentil based stew. Chayote is called chow-chow in Tamil. It is a pear shaped gourd (or maybe squash) that goes really well with the mild sweetness of carrots. The cooked vegetables are simmered in lentils and flavored with cumin, pepper, coconut, and curry leaves for a wonderful dish. This stew is healthy with a mix of mild spice (from black pepper) and sweetness (from the carrots). 

I can never make this poricha kuzhambu as well as she does. This is one of her signature dishes that I was looking forward to recording in this space.

Please refer to the Glossary if you'd like more information on the Indian ingredients listed here

Ingredients (serves 5):

1. 1 chow-chow / chayote, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
2. 3 carrots, peeled and diced
3. 3/4 cup toor dal / tuvaram paruppu / yellow lentils
4. 1 heaped teaspoon of sambar powder
5. 1 teaspoon salt or as required
6. 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
7. 2 teaspoons cumin seeds / jeera
8. 1/3 cup grated coconut
9. 2 tablespoons coconut oil
10. a sprig of curry leaves
11. 1/4 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
12. 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
13. 1 teaspoon split urad dal / split black gram

Preparation:

1. Take the cubed chayote and carrots in a saucepan and pour just enough water to cover them. Add sambar powder to this, mix well and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are almost tender. 
2. Meanwhile, pressure cook the toor dal with 2.5 cups water for 3 whistles. 
3. When the dal is cooked, add it to the cooked vegetables and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until the dal doesn't smell raw.
4. While it is simmering, crush the peppercorns and cumin in a mortar & pestle until coarsely powdered. 
5. Heat coconut oil in a small pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Season with curry leaves, hing, split black gram, the crushed pepper & cumin, and coconut. Fry for 30 seconds or so and add the seasoning to the cooked dal and vegetables. Stir well. 

Serve over rice for a tasty meal. 

There are other versions of poricha kuzhambu, such as this one wherein I add some coriander seeds to the spice mix. 

This poricha kuzhambu is also quite similar to the Palakkad stew known as Molagootal.