Kohlrabi Kootu

Kootu refers to a lentil and vegetable stew made in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India. Kohlrabi Kootu combines Kohlabi and Mung Dal.

Lentils are eaten all over India, and the method of preparing them varies from state to state. One of the common ways of cooking lentils is by combining vegetables and lentils, and adding the desired spices. For example, some days back, I shared the recipe for Lauki Chana Dal, in which chickpea lentils are combined with Bottle Gourd, Mango Dal (a combination of mangoes and pigeon peas),  Brussel Sprouts Dal ( Brussel sprouts and Mung Dal), and Kohlrabi Dal ( Kohlrabi and Red lentils).

Kootu comes in the same category, combining lentils and vegetables. What differentiates Kootu from the dal recipes mentioned above is the spice mix, which comprises coconut, red chillies and cumin seeds, which gives this dal a unique flavour and taste.

Kootu can be made with many vegetables. The common ones that are used are bottle gourd, snake gourd, spinach, pumpkin, cabbage, etc. Kohlrabi is yet another vegetable that goes well in this recipe. And since this vegetable is so commonly available in Germany, I have started using it in various recipes. So, when you make Kootu in your kitchen, you can replace kohlrabi with any of the vegetables mentioned above.

What is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is a vegetable from the same family as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It is a great source of Vitamin C, Potassium and fibre. So, it’s a good idea to include it in your meals.

How to use Kohlrabi in your kitchen?

Remove the leaves and stems. By the way, the leaves and stems of Kohlrabi are edible so you can use them too in your recipes. For this recipe, we only need the bulb. Peel the skin of the bulb, and then chop/slice as per your requirement.

What is Kohlrabi Kootu?

Kohlrabi Kootu is a stew made with Mung Dal and Kohlrabi. The two are cooked in a pressure cooker and then combined with a spice mix made with coconut, red chillies and cumin seeds. Then, a final tempering with asafoetida, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds completes the dish. Kohlrabi Kootu can be served with hot steamed rice. You could also have it with a side of vegetables and papad.

Recently, when I made Kohlrabi Kootu, I served it with steamed rice and Beetroot Poriyal.

Now, let’s start with the recipe:

Equipment Needed:

• Pressure Cooker
• Knives and Chopping board
• Peeler
• Mixer grinder
• Pan for tempering

Ingredients Needed to make Kohlrabi Kootu:

• 1 Medium-Sized Kohlrabi; washed, peeled and chopped into medium-sized pieces
• ⅔ Cups Mung Dal; washed and soaked for 2 hours
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 3 Cups Water
• Salt; to taste

Spice Mix:

• 1½ tsp Grated Coconut
• 1½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• 3-4 Dry Red Chillies (increase/decrease as per your spice tolerance)

Tempering:

• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 8-10 Curry Leaves
• ⅓ tsp Asafoetida
• 1 Medium-Sized Onion; chopped
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Additionally:

• Fresh Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Some Notes about Ingredient Sourcing in Germany:

Mung Dal and other Indian ingredients, such as dry red chillies, curry leaves, fresh coriander leaves, etc, are easily available in Indian stores.

Fresh and basic ingredients such as kohlrabi, onions, salt, etc, are available in supermarkets in Germany.

You can either buy fresh coconut from supermarkets ( quality is not guaranteed), or frozen grated coconut (available in Indian stores), or dry grated coconut (called Kokosraspel) from supermarkets.

Read my articles about products in supermarkets in Germany here.

Method to make Kohlrabi Kootu: 

• Drain out the excess water from the soaked Mung Dal. Wash it.
  
  
  
• Transfer this dal to a pressure cooker. Add chopped kohlrabi, water and turmeric powder.
  
  
  
• Pressure cook it till the dal and kohlrabi become soft.
  
  
  
• Meanwhile, prepare the spice mix by combining grated coconut, red chillies and cumin seeds.
  
  
  
• Grind them to a fine powder. Keep it aside.
  
  
  
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Fry them on medium heat for 10-12 seconds.
  
  
  
• Add asafoetida and chopped onions. Fry them till the onions turn translucent.
  
  
  
• Add this fried mixture as well as the ground spice mix to the cooked lentils. Add fresh coriander leaves.
  
  
  
• Add salt. Mix it and boil it on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Mix with a spatula so that the dal doesn’t stick to the base.
  
  
  
• Turn off the heat. Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee.
  
  

Here is the recipe in printable format:

Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

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