Recipe: Molakootal

This is a typical Kerala Iyer preparation and loved by Kerala Iyers. Well, there are various versions of this molakoottal. I shall try to post all the traditional versions and my latest versions in due course.

Molakoottal essentially is a big vegetable soup enriched with protein(by the addition of liberal quantity of dal and coconut) and flavoured by coconut oil and curry leaves, which gives it the rich taste.It is an alltime favourite in the family, so much so, in the recent years, when the family went really global and the younger generation started getting brides /grooms from the other parts of the country, the new additions to the family have got addicted to it.

When I say additions, I am reminded of my uncle(my maternal aunt's husband)who had coined the word, bamboo addition(mola is bamboo and addition is koottal in malayalam) for molakoottal.

Molakoottal is usually mixed with steamed rice and eaten with a side dish known as Pachadi or Puliinji or Thayir Pachadi. Molakoottal is also followed by a course of rasam.

Now to the recipe:

Mixed vegetable molakoottal

Essentially, this mixed vegetable molakootal was made with different types of gourds and raw banana and yam. One can also make with the more commonly availbale vegetables of modern days.

Ingredients

ash gourd 100gms.

redpumpkin 100gms

raw banana 1/2 no.

yam(chena) 100gms

long beans(payar) 50gms.

toor dal 100gms


turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.

chilli powder 1tsp

salt to taste

fresh coconut 1cup

jeera 1/2 tsp

mustard 1tsp

uraddal 1tsp

coconut oil 1 tbsp.

curry leaves few

Cut all the vegetables into 1 inch cubes. Wash and pressure cook with the dal and turmeric powder.

Grind the coconut with jeera into a very smooth paste adding little water.

Boil the cooked vegetables and dal, adding salt and chili powder for 10mnts. Add the ground coconut and boil for 2 mnts.Remove from stove and add curry leaves.

In a small frying pan add 1 tbs. of coconut oil. and heat. when hot add the mustard seeds . When the mustard seeds splutter add the urad dal. When the dal becomes red in color remove from the stove add a few curry leaves and pour into the molakootal.

Enjoy!