Chow-Chow Curry with Coconut Milk/Chayote Curry

Chow-Chow Curry with Coconut Milk is one of the two ways which I prepared the other day. The other is the Kura/Palya/Kootu/semi-dry based.

Also called chayote/Seema Vankaya(Telugu), Seeme Badnekai (Kannada) is a rich source of vitamin C that belongs to a GOURD family and is kind of Pear-shaped.

Its skin is a little hard to peel but cooks within no time, an easy option to make when has no time and are also used in SAMBAR a stew-like dish.

For the curry version, I used coconut milk from Maggie Coconut Powder. This is very handy when there is no time to make Homemade Coconut Milk.

I usually prefer Homemade coconut milk to the store-bought ones as it locks the natural flavour of coconut. 🙂

Now let’s jump into the step by step procedure of the recipe.

Ingredients

• Chow-Chow/Chayote/Seema Vankaya/Seeme Badanekai-2
• Split Chickpeas/Chanagapappu/Kadalebele-½ Cup or 2 Tablespoons
• Onions/Ullipaayalu/Eerulli-1
• Mustard Seeds/Aavaalu/Saasive-1 Teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds/Jeelakarra/Jeerige-1 Teaspoon
• Curry Leaves/Karivepaaku/Karbevsoppu-1 Sprig
• Chilies/Pachi Mirapakayalu/Hasi Menshinkai-1
• Turmeric Powder/Pasupu/Harsina-½ Teaspoon
• Chilly Powder/Kaaram/Kaharada Pudi-1 Teaspoon
• Ginger garlic Paste/Allam Vellulli Mudda/Shunti Bellulli Mudde-1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder/Dhaniyaala Podi/Dhaniya Pudi-1 Teaspoon
• Cumin Powder/Jeelakarra Podi/Jeerige Pudi-1 Teaspoon
• Coconut Milk/Kobbari Paalu/Thenginkai Haalu-½ Cup ( Increase or Decrease)
• Coriander leaves/Kotthimeera/Kothambari soppu-½ bunch
• Water-2 Cups (Increase or Decrease according to the desired consistency)
• Oil-1 Teaspoon
• Salt- As Required

Procedure for Chow-Chow Curry with Coconut Milk

1. Firstly soak Split Chickpeas/Chana dal in water for 30 Mins and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
2. Do not discard the cooking water which we use later in the curry.
3. Meanwhile, wash, remove skin and finely chop Chow-Chow and keep it aside.
4. Similarly, finely chop onions and slit the chilly and keep it aside.

   

5. Once ready, heat a pan, add oil.
6. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.

   

   

7. After a minute add in slit green chilly, onions, turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon salt and saute until onions are translucent.

   

   

8. Once onions turn translucent, add in chopped chow-chow, ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon salt and fry until raw smell goes off.

   

9. Once the raw smell reduces, add in chilly powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and cook for 2 minutes.

   

10.  Once the chow-chow is cooked, add in pressure cooked split chickpeas, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

    

11. Once cooked for 2 minutes, add in finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

    

12. Once mixed, pour in coconut milk, little split chickpeas water and cook for 2 minutes.

    

    

13. Once boiled, add in remaining split chickpeas stock, bring it to boil, then simmer it, cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

    

    

    

14. Once cooked check for salt, remove from heat and serve with steaming hot white rice or brown rice.

♥ You can cook split chickpeas/chana dal in a saucepan with 2 cups of water.

NOTE

1. To extract coconut milk at home-chop a fresh coconut, put it in a mixer jar, add in some water and run until a paste.
2. Sieve the mixture to get coconut milk.
3. Alternatively, grate the coconut, add in some warm water and squeeze well to extract the milk.