ರಾಯರ ಕೂಟು – Spicy Kootu Made in Sree Raghavendra Swamy Mutt

This November 20th, when I visited Mantralaya with my parents, we had food at the Rayara Mutta. Dad and I sat down to eat food, and Mom since has knee problems ate on the table a bit far away from us. My Dad and I enjoyed the kootu, which was spicy, hot and full of vegetables. The vegetables used were winter melon ಬೂದ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ, sweep pumpkin ಸಿಹಿ ಕುಂಬಳ ಕಾಯಿ, Ridge Gourd ಹೀರೆ ಕಾಯಿ.

As soon as I told my daughter when I came back here about my trip and the amazing food we had at Rayara mutt, she shopped with her father and brought all these three vegetables including fresh ground nuts and asked me to make it exactly the same way.

I had already posted the recipe for Kootu, so just the vegetables were replaced. It tasted just like the ones we ate at Rayara mutta. Give it a try, and keep me posted.

Ingredients for grinding:

• 5 red chillies ಕೆಂಪು ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ
• 10 black pepper ಮೆಣಸು
• 3 tso urad dal ಉದ್ದಿನ ಬೇಳೆ
• 3 tsp channa dal ಕಡಲೆ ಬೇಳೆ
• 3 tsp coriander seeds ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಬೀಜ
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut ತೆಂಗಿನ ಕಾಯಿ grated
• 2 tsp tamarind  ಹುಣಿಸೆ ಹಣ್ಣು paste

Vegetables:

• 1/2 winter melon ಬೂದ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ cleaned, and cut into 1 and 1/2 – 2 inches thick
• 1/2 ಸಿಹಿ ಕುಂಬಳ ಕಾಯಿ Sweet Pumpkin
• 4-5  Ridge Gourd ಹೀರೆ ಕಾಯಿ

Other Ingredients:

• 2 cup toor dal ತೊಗರಿ ಬೇಳೆ, washed and cooked in pressure cooker
• handful of peanuts. ಕಡಲೆ ಕಾಯಿ / ಶೇಂಗಾ ಬೀಜ / ನೆಲಗಡಲೆ
• curry leaves ಕರಬೇವು
• mustard seeds ಸಾಸಿವೆ , hing ಇಂಗು , and turmeric ಅರಿಶಿನ for seasoning
• 1 tsp jaggery ಬೆಲ್ಲ

Method:

• Fry all the ingredients listed in grinding, except coconut and tamarind

• Add the coconut to this fried ingredients.

Next, add the tamarind and grind all these in a mixer.

• Take a microwave safe vessel, and cook the winter melon ಬೂದ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ, sweep pumpkin ಸಿಹಿ ಕುಂಬಳ ಕಾಯಿ, Ridge Gourd ಹೀರೆ ಕಾಯಿ until they are tender. A little bit on the harder side. I cooked all of them separately.

• In a big vessel, add oil. Around 2-3 tsp. Next add all the ingredients listed in the seasoning. Add also the peanuts.

• Fry for a few minutes, and next add the cooked winter melon ಬೂದ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ, sweep pumpkin ಸಿಹಿ ಕುಂಬಳ ಕಾಯಿ, Ridge Gourd ಹೀರೆ ಕಾಯಿ..

• Mix all the ingredients well, and now add the ground mixture

• Let this boil for a few minutes. Make sure it doesn’t  burn, this happens if the steel vessel you are using doesn’t have a thick bottom.
• Now, add the cooked dal, jaggery and let it boil for 15-20 minutes.

• Once the Kootu is done, serve with Rice, and fried Happala and sandige.

• Enjoy the spicy winter melon ಬೂದ ಕುಂಬಳಕಾಯಿ, sweep pumpkin ಸಿಹಿ ಕುಂಬಳ ಕಾಯಿ, Ridge Gourd ಹೀರೆ ಕಾಯಿ or as it is called ರಾಯರ  ಕೂಟು .