Curry coat or kootu kari is a Kerala side dish traditionally prepared for Onam Sadhya. It’s a delicious combination of yam and raw banana with brown chickpeas on a coconut base.
It is usually prepared during festive periods, especially as part of Onam Sadya. We can do this on normal days too, as yam, raw banana and chickpeas contain a lot of fiber and are nutritious.
Check out my other Onam Sadhya Recipes and this Pulikuthi kuzhambu recipe on this website.
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Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients needed to prepare Kootu curry.
- sweet potato – Elephant Yam – Chena – cut into cubes. Choose the yellowish (old) ones and not the reddish young yam.
- Raw banana – Vazhakka – I cut them into larger cubes to balance the cooking time of the yam and this.
- Brown chickpeas – Kadala – Gives a nice texture, adds protein to the dish.
- Coconut – Freshly grated coconut works best as a base and topping.
- Caraway seeds – Adds flavor and helps balance the gastric nature of the ingredients used in this dish.
- Red chili pepper – In this recipe use both red chilli powder and dried red chilli for spice and flavour.
- Black pepper powder – Adds a delicate and pleasant flavor even if you will not perceive it distinctly.
- Turmeric powder– As always used in most Indian dishes, for its color and goodness.
- Jaggery – Just a little for the balance of taste.
- Coconut oil – If possible, use lots of good quality cold-pressed coconut oil.
- Curry leaves – A main ingredient in all Kerala dishes due to its flavour.
- Mustard, the office gave it – To temper.
Check my recipe card below for exact measurements.
Step by step images
Let’s see how to prepare Kootu Curry.
1. Wash and then soak the brown chickpeas overnight with enough water.
2. Next day, drain the water, add salt, enough water for soaking (1 to 1 ¼ cups) and pressure cook for 5 whistles on medium flame.
3. It must be cooked soft, i.e. if you press it, the inside must be soft and easy to press.
4. Then add diced yam, raw banana followed by red chili powder, black pepper powder, turmeric, jaggery, salt required for vegetables.
5. Mix and then add water if necessary. Don’t add a lot of water as this dish should be thick/semi-dry.
6. Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
7. Meanwhile, take ½ cup coconut with cumin seeds and little water in a mix jar.
8. Grind it into a paste.
9. Add to cooked vegetables. If necessary, add a little water.
10. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Once thick, turn off.
11. Heat a pan with coconut oil and pop the mustard seeds, add the red chillies. Then add urad dal. Once golden, add the curry leaves.
12. Finally add the rest of the grated coconut.
13. Roast well until the coconut turns golden brown and aromatic.
14. Finally, add it to the kootu curry and mix well to serve.
Serve as part of Onam sadhya as a side dish. We ate it with matta rice. Some Kerala pappadam can be more delicious to have with.
Substitutions and variations
- You can add ash gourd in place of raw banana.
- Instead of brown chickpeas, add chana dal.
- If you want you can add 2-3 shallots (small onion) while chopping the coconut because it gives a pleasant flavour.
The best advice
Add a little raw coconut oil and a few torn fresh curry leaves at the end for more flavour.
When choosing yam, choose old yam (yellowish inside) instead of fresh yam (reddish inside) as fresh ones are more itchy.
Be sure to dice the raw banana larger than the yam so that the same cooking time in the stove together doesn’t affect the texture.
My notes
I used a little less toasted coconut, but I suggest using equally ½ cup ground and ½ cup toasted as it gives the kootukari the perfect dry texture and flavor.
Make sure you cook the brown chickpeas well. Soaking and cooking over medium heat helps. You can also skip cooking with salt first, and then add salt only when you add the vegetables.
You can also do the process of cooking vegetables by boiling them instead of pressure cooking them. But I prefer it because it is easy and cooking yam thoroughly is a must to avoid the itchy properties of yam.
Frequently asked questions
Although it may seem similar, the taste is very different due to the ingredients used. Kootu curry and erissery can be interchanged. They are prepared in different regions and also have different names. Kootu curry can be a combination of vegetables like yam, raw banana and ash gourd. Contains brown chickpeas or chana dal. But Erissery is always prepared with a vegetable (yellow pumpkin) and has vanpayar (brown peas). So the flavors are totally different.
You may feel an itchy sensation while eating yam in your tongue and throat. This could be because you didn’t cook the yam properly. Use lots of coconut and jaggery to avoid this.
Buying the right type is also important. Choose old ones (or buy and keep the lead) rather than fresh yam (reddish compared to old ones).
Storage/Shelf life
Kootu kari stays comfortably in the fridge for a couple of days.
Recipe card
Curry Kootu Recipe | Kerala Kootu Kari | Onam Sadya Recipes
Kootu curry or kootu kari is a Kerala side dish traditionally prepared for Onam Sadhya. It’s a delicious combination of yam and raw banana with brown chickpeas on a coconut base.
Cup measurements
Ingredients
- ¼ Elephant yam ¾ cup Chena, diced
- ½ Raw banana ¾ cup Vazhakka, diced slightly larger than yam
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery
- Salt just enough
Temper
- 1 table spoon Coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Black mustard seeds
- 2 Red chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon The office gave
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- ½ cup Grated coconut
Prevents the screen from going dark
Instructions
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Wash and then soak the brown chickpeas overnight with enough water.
-
The next day, drain the water, add salt, enough water for soaking (1 to 1 ¼ cups) and pressure cook for 5 whistles on medium flame.
-
It must be cooked soft, i.e. if you press, the inside must be soft and easy to press.
-
Then add diced yam, raw banana followed by red chilli powder, black pepper powder, turmeric, jaggery, salt required for vegetables.
-
Give it a stir and then add water if necessary. Don't add a lot of water as this dish should be thick/semi-dry.
-
Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame.
-
Meanwhile, take ½ cup coconut with cumin seeds and little water in a mix jar.
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Grind it into a paste.
-
Add to cooked vegetables.
-
Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
-
Once thick, turn off.
-
Heat a pan with coconut oil and pop the mustard seeds, add the red chillies. Then add urad dal. Once golden, add the curry leaves, the rest of the grated coconut.
-
Roast well until the coconut turns golden brown and aromatic.
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Finally add it to the kootu curry and mix well to serve.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to dice the raw banana larger than the yam so that the same cooking time in the stove together doesn't affect the texture.
