Patcha thakkali kootu
recipe Image
 
Green Tomatoes taste good before they are ripened and can be used as a main ingredient. Cooking that with Indian spices and lentils makes a tastier side-dish.
Preparation Time : 5 mins

Cooking Time : 10-15 mins

Serves : Family of four
Ingredients:
  • Green tomatoes - 200g or 4
  • Mung dal - 75g or 1/3 of a teacup
  • Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
  • Dry red chilli - 1 for medium spicy and 2 for very spicy
  • Grated coconut - 1 tblsp
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - few (optional)
  • Oil - 2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Water - as required

Method:
  1. Rinse the dal and drain it.

  2. Chop the vegetables into 2cm cubes.

  3. ** Heat a pressure cooker pan on the stove.

  4. ** Add dal, about 150ml of water and half the turmeric powder.

  5. ** Cover and pressure cook. Switch off after first whistle and open when the pressure is gone. Do not open the pressure cooker when there is any pressure left.

  6. In a separate pan, cook the vegetable with salt and rest of the turmeric powder.

  7. Grind coconut, fennel seeds and chillies with 1-2 table spoon of water into a smooth paste.

  8. Add the ground mix and cooked dal to the pan of cooked vegetables and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.

  9. Heat a frying pan. Add oil. Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

  10. Add this seasoning to the cooked vegetables and dal pan.

  11. Stir and serve.
Notes:
Replace dry red chilli with the green chilli if you prefer green chilli. It is suitable for Rice and <a href="/recipes/sambar">Sambar</a>, <a href="/recipes/Mung-Dhal-curry">Mung Dhal curry</a>, <a href="/recipes/Rasam">Rasam</a>, <a href="/recipes/Dhal">Dhal</a>, <a href="/recipes/Tamarind-egg-Curry">Tamarind Egg Curry</a>, <a href="/recipes/Tamarind-egg-omlette-curry">Tamarind egg omlette curry</a> or <a href="/recipes/Garlic-curry">Garlic curry</a>. Please try <a href="/recipes/spinach-dhal-curry-02">Spinach and Dhal curry 02</a>, <a href="/recipes/snake-gourd-lentils-curry">Snake gourd curry</a> or <a href="/recipes/marrow-lentils-curry">Marrow lentils curry</a> for the variation. Green Tomatoes can be replaced by Marrow/pumpkin/bottle guord/Snake gourd.