Kohlrabi and lentil stew (Kootu) - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

Austin, Texas prides itself for being a weird city. In fact, the residents even host an annual event called "Keep Austin Weird". It is a vibrant city, filled with an exotic, eclectic crowd of people. It is a fun city, because there are lots of things to do. Whether you are the stay-at-home mom, lugging around 2 toddlers or the high flyin' corporate executive used to having power lunches, or the keep-it-cool, meditative kind who is in eternal search of nirvana, you'll always find people to hang out with in Austin. The sheer cultural diversity, the fun crowd, the vast open Texas spaces, the hills and plains, the beautiful brush, the cacti, the deer, the throbbing city life, the green farmlands, the farmer's markets - there is always something for everyone in Austin.

You guessed what is in it for me: the wonderful sights, sounds, colors, aroma, the life and the fun of checking out the Saturday Farmer's markets! The opportunity to chat with the local farmers, check out their wares, admire their new recipes, buy their products and support them... all of it makes for a fantastic start of the weekend.

Last weekend, I attended the Sunset Valley Farmer's market. The site mentions that this Farmer's market has been voted at one of the top 5 markets in the US by Eating Well magazine. I believe that may well be true, because when I spoke with the Market Director, Salila Travers and her husband Jim Moore, I realized how particular she was with what was served at the market and how careful she was about reviewing all the produce and prepared food that was served at the market. The market was well-run, large, thriving and bursting with shoppers and vendors. Everywhere around me were people - people with dogs, people with children, and people with dogs and children. Most people sampled the vast array of international food, bought locally grown fresh vegetables, sat around listening to the music and generally had a fun morning in the bright Texas sunshine.

I too, bought stuff. I bought a loaf of organic bread made with spelt flour, seeds and nuts. Then I went to the stalls I love the most - the vegetable stalls. There were many farmers who brought their harvest: fresh greens, roots and tubers, milk, yogurt and meats. I bought a bunch of fresh Kohlrabi and made this very easy to make Kolhrabi and lentil stew with it. It goes very well served hot over brown rice.

Here is what you need:
1 bunch fresh Kohlrabi (cut the leaves and set aside for another dish)
1/2 cup yellow tuvar dal (lentils)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
For the masala:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh grated coconut
4 dry red chili
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
For the garnish:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch Asofoetida powder
1 stalk fresh curry leaves


Here is how you make this:
Wash, peel and cut the Kohlrabi into small cubes. Place in a pan with sufficient water, sprinkle turmeric powder and bring to a boil. Boil until the Kohlrabi is partially cooked and crunchy. Remove from the stove and set aside.

In another pan, boil the lentils until soft and cooked. Mash with a spoon. Add the boiled Kohlrabi to the boiled lentils. Add salt and simmer.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil to fry the masala. Add the ingredients in this order: first the cumin seeds and the coriander seeds. Fry for a minute until brown. Now add the dry red chili and fry until roasted. Now add the grated coconut and fry until brown. Remove from the pan, cool, and place in a blender with sufficient water to blend to a smooth paste.

Add the masala paste to the Kohlrabi and lentil stew. Simmer.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan for the garnish. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait until they crackle. Now add the asofoetida powder, cumin seeds and the washed and dried curry leaves. Fry until the leaves are crisp. Pour over the stew.

Serve hot with brown rice.

Cost:
Kohlrabi: $1.99
Lentils: $0.80
Oil : $0.50
Spices: $0.70 (including grated coconut and curry leaves)
————————–---------------
Total : $2.99

Makes 6 servings.

Cost per serving: $0.50

7 or 9 Vegetable Stew - Thiruvadarai Kootu

Back in the days before the world became global, and the local produce store carried vegetables from all over the world regardless of season, we used to eat seasonally and locally grown vegetables. In Southern India, with its arid conditions, it was wonder if you managed to get 7 or 9 different kinds of vegetables on the same day.

This was the time of the year when it was at all possible with vegetables growing in prolific variety during the winter months. That is the reason the 7 / 9 vegetable stew was such a specialty. And that was why it was made on Thiruvadarai day along with Thiruvadarai Kali and offered to Lord Nataraja.

Continuing on my series of festival recipes and reader recipes, here is the Thiruvadarai Kootu recipe from my aunt Chandra. You can make this stew with 7 or 9 different kinds of vegetables. The kinds of vegetables used in this stew are yellow and white pumpkin, green beans, colocasia or taro root, elephant yam, potato, sweet potato, cluster beans, carrots, peas, fresh lima beans, zucchini, okra and eggplant.

Most of the tubers and roots in this list contain complex carbohydrates that help keep weight and blood sugar under control and protect against cardiovascular diseases.

Even though the recipe below is slightly complicated, it is well worth trying. The tantalizing tastes that are evoked by the Thiruvadarai meal is simply beyond description. The sweet in the Kali, the textures of different vegetables, the tartness in the tamarind and the spices that go into making the stew, all contribute to an immensely satisfying and healthy meal.

Here is what you need:
5 - 7 cups chopped vegetables
1 cup tuvar dal (yellow lentils)
2 cups + 1 cup water
1 tsp tamarind paste (available in any Indian grocery store)

For the masala:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp bengal gram dal (split yellow peas)
4-5 dry red chilis
1/2 tsp asofoetida powder (available in any Indian grocery store)
2 tbsp coconut powder
1 tbsp olive oil

For garnish:
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp bengal gram dal (split yellow peas)
1/2 tsp urad dal (split and peeled black lentils)
1/2 tsp asofoetida powder
2 stalks curry leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt

Here is how you make this:
Steam the vegetables. Some of the root vegetables like colocasia, yam, potato and sweet potato need to be cooked separately because they take longer to cook. Cook the eggplant, peas, carrots and pumpkins together. Add 2 cups water to the Tuvar dal and cook until soft and well done. Mash with a spoon. Dissolve the tamarind paste in cup water and set aside.

For the masala: Heat olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds. Brown for 10 seconds. Now add the coriander seeds, red chili and bengal gram dal. Roast for 1 minute or until lightly brown. Now add the asofoetida powder and coconut powder. Roast for another 30 seconds. Take the masala mix off the stove and cool. Place in a blender with enough water to make a thick paste. Grind to a fine paste.

Mix the tamarind water and the vegetables and bring to a boil. Now add the prepared masala paste, salt and cooked tuvar dal. Bring to a roiling boil and take off the stove.


To garnish: Heat olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the spices in this order: Mustard seeds first and wait for them to crackle. Now cumin seeds, bengal gram dal, urad dal, asofoetida and curry leaves. Stir fry until curry leaves are crisp. Pour over the prepared kootu. Serve hot with Thiruvadarai Kali.

Thank you, Alphainventions.com for all that traffic!