Bangalore Kathrikkai Poriyal

I love this shade of green. I don't need an excuse to make banglore kathrikkai alias chow chow. It is a very good source of dietary fiber,Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese[source].

Bangalore Kathrikkai poriyal goes very well with Vathral kuzhambu. As as child, I remember having paruppu sadam(dal rice) with nei(clarified butter), which had a small well in the middle to house spicy vathral kuzhambu and poriyal to go with it.There are several combinations of comfort food to be had, this meal would be top of my list. I will give the recipe of the kuzhambu in a later post.

Bangalore Kathrikkai Poriyal:
Ingredients:
Bangalore Kathrikkai  3 nos
mustard seeds  1tsp
urad dal  1 tsp
round red chillies 3 whole
asafoetida a pinch
oil 2 tsp
grated coconut 1 or 2 tsp
salt to taste


Method:
1. Peel and cut the vegetable into small even sized cubes.
2. In a wide bottom fry pan, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds, after it starts popping add urad dal, red chillies (take the stalk off)and asafoetida. Let the urad dal fry till reddish pink in color.
3. Add the cut vegetable pieces and 1/2tsp salt. Add 2 tbsp water and stir. Cover partially with lid (with a ladle or spoon keeping the lid open  a little to let some steam out). Let it cook until the BK's are transluscent stirring occasionally, add a little more salt when the BK's are almost done. There shouldn't be any water left in the pan.
4. Add the grated coconut and stir fry for less than a minute. Switch off heat.

Serve with steaming hot rice,paruppu, nei and vathral kuzhambu. It goes well though not equally with rasam too. Susvaad.