Chow Chow (Chayote Squash) Thogayal ~ Day 156

Here is a simple and delicious thogayl (a thick, coarse chutney) recipe made with one of my favorite vegetable chow chow,  also known as chayote squash.  This thogayal is typically served with hot steamy rice, but it also goes well with idli, dosai, or even chapati.  

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Chow chow / Chayote squash - 3
• Whole white Urad dal - 1/4 cup
• Chana dal - 2 tbsp
• Dried red chillies - 6 or to taste
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch
• Tamarind - a small marble sized 
• or Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and cut open the chow chow / chayote squash.  Remove the soft pit in the center and roughly chop into cubes, with the skin.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep skillet.  Add the urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, and tamarind.  Fry until the dals turn golden brown.  Add asafoetida and stir.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet.  Add the squash and saute until soft, over medium heat, stirring often.  Let cool completely.
4. Place the dal mixture and coconut in a blender along with salt.  Grind into a coarse paste without adding any water.  Add the squash and pulse until well incorporated with the dal mixture.
5. Serve with rice topped with a dollop of ghee/clarified butter or sesame oil (nallenai).

Thengai (Coconut) Thogayal ~ Day 90

Thogayal / Thuvayal is a South Indian comfort food, which is made of coarsely ground, fried dal and spices along with coconut.  You can add any vegetable to the dal mixture to make different varieties of thogayal.  It goes very well with hot steamed rice or with any South Indian tiffins, like Idli, dosai or even chapati.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yields: 2 cups

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Ingredients:

• Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1 cup 
• Urad dal - 1/2 cup
• Dried red chilies - 6 or to taste
• Tamarind - marble sized
• Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - a small piece (optional)
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Water - for grinding 

Method:

1. If using frozen coconut, thaw it in a microwave for 30 seconds.  
2. Heat oil in skillet.  Add urad dal, red chilies, tamarind, peppercorns, ginger, curry leaves, and salt.
3. Fry, over low heat, until the dal turns golden brown.  Add asafoetida and stir.  Cool slightly.
4. Place the dal mixture in a blender and add a little water and grind to a coarse paste.  
5. Add the coconut and some more water and grind into a thick paste.  The ground paste should be thick in consistency.  So don't add too much water while grinding.  
6. Serve with hot steamed rice and dollop of ghee

Ridge Gourd (Peerkangai) Thogayal with Peanuts and Cilantro

Thogayal or Thuvayal is basically a thick chutney made with either coconut, thoor dal, cilantro or ridge gourd.  It is usually served as an accompaniment with steamed rice.  Traditionally, this ridge gourd thogayal is made with minimal ingredients like urad dal, red chillies and asafoetida. I like adding peanuts and coriander leaves for some extra protein and fiber. Black pepper and ginger, give heat and flavor to this dish.  Traditional or not, I love all kinds of thogayals and this surely is a yummy one. 

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Ridge Gourd / Peerkangai - 1, large
• Peanuts - 1/4 cup
• Urad dal - 1/8 cup
• Cilantro / Fresh coriander leaves - 3/4 cup, packed, washed, roughly chopped 
• Red chilies - 2
• Green chilies - 2
• Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1-inch piece, peeled 
• Tamarind - a small marble sized
• Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
• Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)
• Curry leaves - 5
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - for grinding

Method:

1. Wash and peel rough edges of the ridge gourd.  I usually leave the skin intact since it is high in fiber.  Cut into small discs or cubes.  Set it aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet.  Fry asafoetida, urad dal, peanuts, chillies, peppercorns, ginger, tamarind and curry leaves over medium-low heat, until golden.  Transfer the ingredients into a plate and let it cool.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet.  Add the cut ridge gourd and saute, until soft and lightly charred.
4. Turn the heat off and add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well to cook in the remaining heat.  
5. Once cooled, grind the dal, peanut ingredients and salt into a power first.  Then add water little at a time and grind into a thick, coarse or fine paste.  
6. Add the sauteed ridge gourd and coriander leaves. At this point, you can just pulse it couple of times, to get tiny pieces of ridge gourd while having thogayal, or grind to a smooth paste.  
7. Serve with steamed rice.

Kothamalli Thogayal / Fresh Coriander Chutney

Nothing can beat the smell of Cilantro / Kothamalli in Indian cooking.  Here is my version of kothamalli thogayal.  Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

Kothamalli / Fresh Coriander / Cilantro -  1 cup (with stem)

Tamarind paste - 1 TBSP

Oil - 1 TBSP

Salt - to taste

To roast:

Urad dal / Ulutham paruppu - 2 TBSP

Red chilli - 1

Green chilli - 1

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - small piece

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Peanuts - 2 TBSP (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a skillet and fry all the ingredients in the roast list to golden brown.  Let it cool.
2. Grind the roasted ingredients with salt and tamarind past with little water to a coarse paste.
3. Now add the kothamalli/ fresh coriander and grind until well incorporated.