Peerkankai Kootu is a South Indian dish consisting of ridge gourd and lentils. It is a flavorful dish typically served with rice or roti. Ridge gourd, known as “Peerkankai” in Tamil, is commonly found in the US as “Chinese Okra”.
Peerkankai (Ridge Gourd) Kootu is a comforting South Indian dal-and-veg stew where tender ridge gourd and juicy tomato simmer together with partially cooked green gram dal, turmeric, cumin, sambar powder, and salt until soft and flavorful. It’s finished with a quick tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafoetida, and chopped onion sautéed in hot oil, then stirred in for a fragrant, savory lift.
Peerkankai Kootu Recipe
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Peerkankai (Ridge Gourd) Kootu
Ridge gourd is called Peerkankai in Tamil and it is available plenty in USA as Chinese Okra. This kootu is served with rice as a side dish.
4
servings5
minutes15
minutesIngredients
Ridge gourd – 2
G reen gram dhal – 1/2 cup
Tomato – 1
Sambar Powder – 2 teaspoons
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Jeera (Cumin) – 1/2 teaspoon
- For seasoning:
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal – 1/2 teaspoon
C urry leaves – few
C hopped onion – 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida Powder – a pinch
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Directions
- Scrap the skin from the ridge gourd and cut it into small pieces.
- Cut the tomato into small pieces.
- Cook green gram dhal along with a pinch of turmeric powder till 3/4th cooked.
- Add ridge gourd pieces to the dal along with tomato, cumin, sambar powder and salt.
- Close with a lid and cook on medium flame till it is soft.
- In a tadka ladle put a teaspoon of oil. When it is hot add mustard. When it starts pop up add urad dal, curry leaves asafoetida and the chopped onion. Fry for a second and add this seasoning to the Kootu. Mix well and remove.
Recipe Video
Notes
- You can add little coconut gratings ground with one green chilli for extra flavor. Or add only coconut gratings for garnishing. Also you can add two to three sambar onion chopped to the seasoning.
This is my favourite. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the recipe. Tastes yummy. Cooked today as a side dish with your Iru Puzhi kuzhambu.