Green Gram Kootu

Ingredients

1. Green Gram               1 cup                
2. Brinjal                        6
3. Kootu masala             3 tbsp
4. Small onion                10
5. Tomatoes                    2
6. Ginger                        1/4"
7. Garlic                         5 flakes
8. Water                          5 cups
9. Tamarind                    Lemon size
10. Turmeric                    1/2 tsp
11. Chilly powder            2 tsp
12. Jaggery                       1 tbsp[optional]
13. Salt                             2 tsp

For Seasoning

1. Badaga                      2 tbsp
2. Red chilies                4
3. Curry leaves              10
4. Hing                           1/2 tsp
5. Oil                               2 tbsp
6. Coriander leaves         little

Method

• Soak Green Gram for 8 hours. Wash 2 or 3 times.
• Cut onion, Brinjal lengthwise, and cube tomatoes. Pound ginger, and garlic
• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 1/2 an hour.
• Boil water in a cooker add Green Gram, onion, tomatoes, turmeric, chilly powder, brinjal, Ginger-Garlic, and salt. Cook for 2 whistles and cool down.
• Strain tamarind, add kootu masala, and mix without lumps.
• Open the lid and add the kootu tamarind, jaggery.
• Boil for another 2 minutes, check salt and add if necessary.
• Heat oil in a pan, add Badaga, curry leaves, red chilies, and hing.
• Fry Badaga till light brown add other seasonings and pour over the gravy.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice and appalam.

Black Beans Kootu

Ingredients

1. Black beans                1 cup
2. Small onion                10 nos
3. Tomato                        3 medium
4. Brinjal                         300 gms 
5. Pumpkin                      100 gms   
6. Ginger                         1/4"
7. Garlic                          6    
8. Coriander leaves         Handful
9. Kootu masala             4 tbsp                                                         
10. Tamarind                    lemon size
11. Jaggery                       1 tbsp
12. Chilly powder            1 1/2tsp
13. Turmeric                    1/4tsp
14. Salt                             2tsp
15. Oil                             1 tbsp
16. Badaga                       little
17. Curry leaves              few
18. Hing                         a pinch
19. Red chilies               2 or 3
20. Water                       6 cups                  

Method:

• Soak black beans overnight. Soak tamarind in little water.
• Cut onion and tomatoes. Crush ginger and garlic.
• Cut brinjal to lengthwise and put it in a bowl of saltwater and keep aside.
• Cut pumpkin to 1" big pieces.
• Boil water in a pressure cooker add beans, turmeric, castor oil.
• Cook for 1 whistle. Open after 10 minutes.
• Add brinjal, ginger-garlic,onion,tomatoes,pumpkin ,chilly,turmeric powder,salt.
• Close the lid and cook for another 2 whistles.
• Mix kootu masala powder in tamarind water.
• Add it to the gravy with jaggery. Stir well. Check salt. Add if necessary.
• Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil add Badaga, hing, curry leaves, chilies to the gravy.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with rice, ghee, appallam.