Paal kootu / Thenga paal kootu..

My kids love chunky vegetables in gravy style. So I include these in my menu often along with Vegetable Kurma and Chunky vegetables in a simple gravy style. They love it for rice, rotis and dosa too. So this is my addition to kids gravies which is less spicy but very delicious. I can say it is a kind of stew coz of its mild coconut flavor.

This one is such a special that my mom makes it for the kids every time we visit them during our vacation. She loves to watch them eat their veggies with so much fun.

Recipe here is very simple and just calls for a little coconut for the dash of flavor.

Serves... 4 ppl

Serve option... Hot with rice/rotis/dosa

This is what u'll need....

Potato - 2 medium
Carrot  - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 big
Beans - 5-6
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1
Cumin powder - 1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Coconut - one half
Mustard seeds for tadka
Cumin seeds for tadka
Oil for tadka
Salt to taste

Here is the stir....

• Heat oil in a pan and make a simple tadka with mustard and cumin seeds

• Chunk up all vegetables - carrot, potato, beans, tomato into nice bite size pieces and add them to the pan. Slit the green chilly and add it 

• Sprinkle turmeric powder, cumin and salt followed by a cup of water. Let it this all cook until  the vegetables are cooked to soft

• Meanwhile take half a coconut and slice it up. Stash it into a mixer and grind it fine with a little water. Strain it through a sieve and repeat the process 2 more times. Dont add too much water. Coconut milk is ready

• When the vegetable are soft add the coconut milk, cumin powder and let it cook on low heat till the mixture comes to a slight boil.Turn off the flame when the mixture is about to boil

• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot for a meal to relish

Note:

• Cook the vegetables till they are tender but you dont want them breaking down
• Add more green chillies if needed
• Dont cook the mixture for a long time after adding coconut milk