Chow Chow Chutney | Chayote Squash Chutney | Merakai Chutney

An easy vegetable chutney recipe with chow chow that pairs well for idli and dosa. This is a perfect recipe for the busy weekday mornings. It is a very healthy chutney recipe. It also goes very well with hot steamed rice mixed with ghee or gingelly oil.

Many of us will avoid or never buy or eat this vegetable. But when we make chutney with this chow chow vegetable, it tastes yummy and no one will ever know that you have prepared a chutney with this vegetable.

Ingredients

• Chow Chow / Chayote Squash - 1
• 1 tbsp - split Bengal gram
• 1 tbsp - Black gram
• 3 - Dry Red Chillies
• 1 - Onion, chopped
• 10 cloves of Garlic
• few Curry leaves
• 1 - Tomato chopped
• small piece of Tamarind
• 2 tbsp - grated Coconut
• Salt as required
• 1 tbsp - Oil

For Tempering

• 1 tsp - Oil
• 1 tsp - Bengal gram
• 1 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1 - Dry Red Chilli
• few Curry leaves

Method:

• Peel and chop the chow chow roughly and keep aside.

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy pan or kadai. When hot add Bengal gram, black gram and dry chillies and fry until light brown. 

• Next add chopped onion, garlic, curry leaves and saute till onion become translucent.

• Then add the tomatoes and salt as required. Cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

• Next add a small piece of tamarind and saute for a minute.

• Then add the chopped chow chow pieces and give a mix. 

• Add 2 cups of water and mix well.

• Cove and cook the vegetable for 15 mins on medium heat or till the vegetable gets completely cooked.

• When vegetable gets cooked add curry leaves and coriander leaves and mix well.

• Finally add the grated coconut and mix well. Cook for 2 mins on medium heat and turn off the heat.

• Allow it to cool and grind to a smooth coarse paste with little water( if needed only add water ) and transfer this chutney to a bowl.

For tempering

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a small frying pan, when hot add Bengal gram and mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Then add the dry red chilli and curry leaves and turn off the heat. Add the tempering to the chutney and mix well. Serve with idli and dosa. 

Check the Video Recipe here

Tomato Rasam recipe with Homemade Rasam Powder | Thakkali rasam | Rasam recipes | #simpleandyummyrecipes

Tomato rasam/Thakkali rasam is a delicious South Indian soup recipe made with ripe tomatoes, tamarind, pepper, cumin, and, other spices. Rasam is also known as saaru in Kannada and chaaru in Telugu. It is commonly eaten with plain rice. But it can also be served as a soup.

Rasam is a staple food in many South Indian homes. There are so many varieties of rasam in India. Today I'm sharing with you how to make tomato rasam. For this, we need to make rasam powder first with some basic spices that are easily available at home.

For this recipe, use ripe and juicy tomatoes. That gives you a very tasty rasam. Traditionally, rasam is known for its digestive properties and for preventing the formation of gas. If you are a non-veg lover, then try this rasam recipe with any fish fry. Rasam rice and fish fry ! What a combo, right? Hit the like button if you like this combo. 

Tomato Rasam / Thakkali Rasam with step-by-step pictures and video recipes

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins 

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 3
• Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
• Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
• few Curry leaves
• few Coriander leaves
• Salt as required
• Oil - 1 tbsp

To make Rasam powder

• Split Pigeon Peas - 1 tbsp ( Toor Dhal )
• Coriander seeds - ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
• Pepper - ½ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
• Dry Red chili - 1
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Few Curry leaves

Method:

• First, soak tamarind in ½ cup of water and keep aside.

• Then take 3 tomatoes. Cut one tomato into pieces and the other two tomatoes grind it to a puree.

• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add all the spices one by one, as mentioned under "to make rasam powder ". Dry roast the spices for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

• Next, heat oil in a kadai/wok. When hot, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Then add dry red chili, asafoetida powder, garlic cloves, and curry leaves. Saute for a minute on medium heat. 

• Next, add the one chopped tomato and saute for a minute Next, add salt and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy on medium heat.

• Then add the pureed tomatoes, tamarind water, turmeric powder, and salt as required. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.

• Next, add 1 ½ tbsp of prepared rasam powder and mix well.

• Then, allow it to cool and grind to a coarse powder. Now, the rasam powder is ready.

• Add 2 ½ cups of water to the tomato mixture and mix well. Bring it to a boil on medium heat.

• Once the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, switch off the heat and add the coriander leaves. Immediately cover the kadai/wok with the lid and let it rest for 5 to 10 mins. After 5 to 10 mins transfer the rasam to a serving bowl and serve hot with plain rice.

Step-by-step pictures of how to make Tomato Rasam / Thakkali Rasam

First, soak tamarind in ½ cup of water and keep aside.

Then take 3 tomatoes. Cut one tomato into pieces and the other two tomatoes grind it to a puree.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add all the spices one by one mentioned under "to make rasam powder ". Dry roast the spices for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Then, allow it to cool and grind to a coarse powder. Now, the rasam powder is ready.

Next heat oil in a kadai/wok. When hot, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

Then add dry red chili, asafoetida powder, garlic cloves, and curry leaves. Saute for a minute on medium heat. 

Next, add the one chopped tomato and saute for a minute Next, add salt and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy on medium heat.

Then add the pureed tomatoes, tamarind water, turmeric powder, and salt as required. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Next, add 1 ½ tbsp of prepared rasam powder and mix well.

Add 2 ½ cups of water to the tomato mixture and mix well. Bring it to a boil on medium heat.

Once the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, switch off the heat and add the coriander leaves. Immediately cover the kadai/wok with the lid and let it rest for 5 to 10 mins. After 5 to 10 mins transfer the rasam to a serving bowl and serve hot with plain rice.

Watch the video Recipe here