Indian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Kootu (Lentil & Vegetable Stew)

A mild South Indian stew of mung dal with pumpkin and green beans, thickened with a freshly blended coconut-cumin paste.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200g moong dal (split yellow mung beans)
• 400g Hokkaido pumpkin
• 150g green beans
• 60g desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 12 curry leaves
• 1 dried chilli
• 2 tbsp ghee
• Salt

Instructions

1. Rinse the moong dal, cut the Hokkaido pumpkin (skin on) into 2cm cubes, and snap the green beans into finger-length pieces.
2. Put the moong dal in a pot with 700ml water, the turmeric and salt, and cook for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft but still hold their shape.
3. Add the pumpkin and beans and cook for another 10 minutes until the pumpkin yields to a fork but the vegetables haven't fallen apart.
4. Blend the desiccated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies with 100ml water into a fine paste, stir it in, and let simmer gently for 5 minutes – don't let it boil hard, or the coconut paste will split.
5. For the tadka, heat the ghee, let the mustard seeds pop in it, then fry the curry leaves with the dried chilli for 15 seconds.
6. Pour the tadka over the stew, let it infuse briefly, and serve warm with rice.