Courgette/Zucchini Kootu (Zucchini Lentil Stew)

Courgette/Zucchini Kootu (Zucchini Lentil Stew)
Courgette is suppose to belong to the squash family. It is usually hard to come by vegetables from the squash family that I was used to at home. Especially chayote squash (bangalore kathrikai in tamil) as mom used to make kootu with it quite often. Although I do buy courgette every now and then mainly so that I can grate it and include it my wee ones vegetable mix and use it is pasta dishes, I had not really tried any Indian dish with it. This kootu was pretty much the first attempt and the result was good as my husband liked it and my wee one was happy to bite into the courgettes as well. This is sort of how mom used to make kootu...

1-2 courgettes, cubed
1 onion finely chopped
½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
½ cup mung dal
¼ cup channa dal
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

For the masala paste:
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons grated coconut or dessicated coconut
2 green chillies
2 dry red chillies, roasted
For tadka:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
Asafoetida

Grind together the masala paste adding required amount of water

Heat some oil in a skillet and add cumin seeds. Once it crackles, add curry leaves, asafoetida, ginger garlic paste, onions and courgettes. Cook until courgettes become soft. You could add a bit water so the food does not burn

In the meantime cook the mung dal and channa dal together in a pressure cooker

Add the masala paste, some water and the cooked dals

Bring to boil and simmer for few minutes adding required amount of salt

Garnish with some coriander leaves and serve with rotis or rice

I was preparing this to eat with rotis but if it was for a south Indian meal I may have skipped the onions and the ginger garlic paste. Just reduce the amount of chillies to make this a great toddler/baby food as the veggies and dal are very good for them as well.