Butternut Squash Kootu / Butternut Squash Stew

In the next few weeks/months, I am going to be continuing to post some fundamental South-Indian dishes that are common in most households. To me, some of these dishes are special for two reasons: 1) they evoke childhood memories, 2) these dishes might seem extremely basic and simple today, but I predict they will soon evolve into exotic dishes for the subsequent generations that seem to be moving farther and farther away from our home base/country. At that point in the long term, these simple staples will turn into valuable means through which people connect with their ancestry and culture. And my idealistic vision is that this space would be a reference point for the family down the road.

Anyway, that aside, I wanted to record this simple recipe. For vegetarians such as us, lentils, grams and pules are our primary sources of protein. So, almost every other meal has a generous serving of kootu - a lentil or gram based dish that is cooked with a vegetable and is very mildly spiced. 

I grew up with this kootu gracing our meals at least twice a week. Moong dal is a healthy source of protein and is much better (nutrition-wise) compared to regular yellow lentils (toor dal). This kootu is also quite versatile. Any vegetable/fruit that is a squash or a gourd (or otherwise) can be added.

Guacamole

I have been introducing my parents to different fruits, vegetables, and other foods/dishes that are unique to them. My mother was curious about avocados because she had heard of them in India, and was aware that they are healthy and nutritious. So, I got a bag of avocados and made some guacamole for them to try. 

I was heartened that they both enjoyed the guacamole. My mom especially loved it! She appreciated the flavor of avocado and therefore, the zesty flavors of guacamole. 

So, here's the simple mix of ingredients I add to prepare guacamole. I love the combination of lime and avocados, so I liberally use lime juice and lime zest to flavor guacamole.

Thengai Podi / Coconut Spice Mix

My mother-in-law prepares this wonderful spice blend with dessicated coconut from the garden. She recently sent a package of this spice blend for us, and I wanted to record the recipe before other things took over. This is my husband's favorite spice blend to mix with steamed rice!

Although this recipe calls for dessicated coconut, you can also use store bought coconut flakes (unsweetened) and roast them well. Shelf-life might be reduced a bit, but store in the fridge in an air-tight container to extend shelf life as much as possible. 

Cabbage Thuvayal / Thogayal

Cabbage thogayal / thuvayal is one of my mom's recent innovations in the kitchen. It is a coarser and more tart version of chutney. Shredded cabbage is ground with tamarind, chillies, ginger, and black gram to make a thuvayal that tastes different from the usual ones.

Sweet Corn & Mint Pulao

Summer is officially here! To kick start the summer, our group of friends got together for our annual barbecue/grill at a scenic locale overlooking a lake. It is a fun picnic with grilled and non-grilled food. Grilled corn on the cob with butter, lemon juice, chilli powder and salt is a staple at such grilling events. With the left over corn on the cob, I made this corn and mint pulao and it turned out pretty well. 

The sweet corn mingles with the delicate fragrance of mint and other whole spices to make a sweet and aromatic dish. This is a good substitute for peas pulao to update the usual menu a bit. The quantities below serve a big party of people, especially when accompanied with other dishes.