Mulakootal (Vegetables In Coconut Gravy) Recipe

Mulakootal is essentially a home style south Indian curry made with a medley of vegetables, lentils and coconut. A part of many routine lunches and often made with whatever vegetables handy at home. Mulakootal is also said to be the inspiration behind the famous "Mulligatawny Soup". The curry is healthy and spells comfort of a home meal in every bite, helps that it is super easy to make. Course : Lunch Ingridients : 2 cups Mixed vegetables 1/2 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal) 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) To be ground in a paste 1/2 cup Fresh coconut , grated 2 tablespoons White Urad Dal (Split) 2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu) 3 Dry Red Chillies 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera) For the tempering 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu) 2 Dry Red Chillies Curry leaves , handful Instructions To begin making the Mulakootal recipe, firstly wash, peel and dice all vegetables. You can use any vegetables you have at home. I like to use vegetables like carrot, lauki, drumstick, beans, potato, white pumpkin and cauliflower.In a large pot (use an earthen pot if you have, the flavour is lovely)or in a pressure cooker, boil all the vegetables with little water with salt and turmeric.In an another pressure cooker, boil the toor dal and keep it aside.Dry roast all the ingredients for the paste apart from coconut for 2-3 minutes till fragrant and slight brown.Grind together coconut and the roasted spices to a smooth paste adding little water if required.Add the toor dal and coconut paste to the boiled vegetables and let it simmer further for 5 minutes till the flavours have blended and the raw smell of coconut has gone.In a small tadka pan, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds, red chilly and curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes.Pour this over the curry and it is ready to be served. Serve Mulakootal with hot steamed rice for a perfect summer lunch.