Koottu facts for kids
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| Type | Stew |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Main ingredients | Vegetable, lentils |
Kootu (கூட்டு in Tamil) is a yummy and healthy dish from South India. It's especially popular in places like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Kootu is a bit like a thick stew, made by cooking different vegetables with lentils.
The name "Kootu" comes from the Tamil word meaning "to add" or "mixture." This is because you add many ingredients together to make it! Kootu is known for its rich, nutty taste and interesting textures. It's usually thicker than a soup called sambar, but not as dry as a stir-fry.
When people have a big traditional meal in Tamil Nadu, called a Virundhu Sappadu, Kootu is often one of the main dishes. It's usually served with boiled rice, sambar, rasam, curd, and other tasty sides like appalam.
Types of Kootu
There are many different ways to make Kootu, but they all include vegetables and lentils. Here are a couple of popular types:
Poricha Kootu
Poricha means "fried" in Tamil. This Kootu gets its name because some of its ingredients are fried first. To make it, urad dhal (a type of lentil), pepper, red chilies, cumin, and fresh coconut are fried and then ground into a paste.
Separately, moong dhal (another lentil) and chopped vegetables like beans or snake gourd are cooked. Finally, the ground paste, cooked vegetables, and moong dhal are mixed and heated together.
Araichivita Kootu
The name Araichivita in Tamil means "the one which has been ground and poured." This Kootu is special because it uses a freshly ground masala (spice mix).
The ground paste for this Kootu is a mix of fried urid dhal, cumin seeds, and coconut. This paste is added to cooked vegetables and lentils, giving the dish a unique flavor.
