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