The fresh coconut and simple spices lend their goodness to this zucchini kootu recipe and make it a comforting dish! If you love mild, light food (I mean, who can resist this green moong dal!?) then I urge you to try this simple and delicious recipe.
Kootu is a Tamil word for a stew made with, vegetables and lentils. This dish is made with one variety of vegetable, although you can make it with a medley of vegetables as well. See notes below.
In this kootu, yellow (moong) lentils are simmered gently with chunks of zucchini and a masala made with fresh coconut, cumin, and black pepper.
Learn to make this quintessential South Indian dish with me in under 30 minutes.
You can have it as a meal on its own or as a side. See the section below to understand how kootu is generally served.
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Allergens free labels
This zucchini kootu recipe is free of the following allergens:
Gluten
Nuts
Soy
Dairy
Alliums
This recipe is grain-free, vegan, and has no added oil.
Ingredients
Zucchini, though not traditionally used in kootu, works beautifully in this recipe, making it a smooth, comforting stew with a gentle warmth from the black pepper and a hint of green chili.
This simple recipe requires just a handful of ingredients.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Zucchini (courgettes): You do not have to peel them. You can make this recipe with other vegetables as well. See the notes below.
Coconut: Grated fresh coconut, preferably. Frozen will also do.
You can use desiccated coconut if that is what you have, but it will be worth the effort to get your hands on some fresh or frozen coconut.
Moong lentils: (moong dal) As explained in the how to grow thick mung bean sprouts post, moong lentils, and mung beans are the easiest to digest and are gentle on the gut. You can make this recipe with other lentils as well – see the notes below.
Turmeric and black pepper: If you have read my vegan potato soup post, you will know that when used together in a dish, these two spices make a formidable team!
If you have fresh root turmeric, use that. Grind it along with the other spices for the masala.
Tempering: Traditionally, spices tempered in oil or ghee are added to the dish towards the end of the cooking.
You can, if you want to, add a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and urad dal (white lentils) for a nutty flavor (see the recipe card for quantities).
Have a question regarding the ingredients? Feel free to ask in the comments section below and I will try my best to answer it for you.
Instructions
In this zucchini kootu, moong dal is simmered gently with chunks of zucchini and a masala made with fresh coconut, cumin, and black pepper.
This is a one-pot dish. I am giving instructions here for making it in a saucepan. You can make it in an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker.
This kootu recipe comes together in under just 30 minutes!
Let’s make it. (See video below)
Begin by dicing zucchini into bite-sized pieces.
Step 1: Wash the yellow lentils 1-2 times or until the water runs clear. Place the lentils and diced zucchini in a saucepan, add hot water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook till the lentils and zucchini are soft (15- 20 minutes).
Step 2: While the lentils are cooking, make the masala paste.
To a blender jar (or pestle and mortar), add the grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chili, and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend to a coarse paste.
Step 3: When the lentils and zucchini are cooked, add the salt, turmeric, and masala paste. Mix well, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Take off from the heat.
If you want to temper the dal, heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Add the urad dal, mustard seeds, and curry leaves, let them splutter, and then pour the tempering over the kootu. Cover and let the flavors mingle for a few minutes.
The consistency, textures, and flavors are the highlights of this dish - you will be tempted to call it kootu curry 😀.
Serve the kootu warm - see serving suggestions below.
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Notes and variations
Coconut: Use fresh or frozen grated coconut. If you are using coconut pieces then mince them in the grinder first. You can use desiccated coconut, although, for the best taste, I recommend using fresh or frozen coconut.
Vegetables: As I have mentioned above, kootu is a stew made with vegetables (one type, generally) and yellow lentils. So, for example, if cabbage is the vegetable included, it is cabbage kootu.
Other vegetables that work for this dish: bottle gourd, chow-chow (chayote squash), ridge gourd, carrots, ash gourd, pumpkin, mooli (daikon radish), snake gourd, and keerai (seasonal greens).
Kootu can also be made with a medley of vegetables (mixed veg kootu).
Mixed vegetable kootu can be made with a combination of any of the above vegetables.
Lentils: Most commonly kootu is made with moong lentils. You can make this dish with masoor dal -red lentils (cooks faster) or split pigeon peas -tur dal (takes longer to cook).
Tempering: In Indian cooking, tempering is the traditional way of adding flavor to a dish by blooming the spices in oil or ghee. Tempering is done either at the beginning of the cooking process or at the end of the cooking.
In this recipe, I have not added any tempering. If you want to temper the kootu, I suggest that you add it towards the end - in the last couple minutes of cooking.
The recipe will, of course, not be oil-free anymore.
Any doubts or questions? Feel free to ask via the comments below. I will try my best to answer them for you.
Storage and serving suggestions
Serving: Traditionally this recipe is served with steaming hot rice with a drizzling of ghee and some poppadums or potato crisps on the side.
You can have this kootu with roti, naan, or any other flatbread of your choice.
Try it with this buckwheat naan to make it a wholesome grain-free meal.
This dish is mild and comforting enough to be had as a meal by itself.
Storage: This dish will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store it in a clean fridge-safe container with a lid.
A note about zucchini
Love zucchini? Me too! Such a versatile vegetable isn't it?! As I mentioned above, this is one of those vegetables that I did not grow up eating. I first had it when I started living in the UK and fell in love with it instantly! 😍
Do you call it zucchini or courgette where you live? Do let me know in the comments below. I would love to know!
I love this vegetable most for its versatility! It is versatile enough to be part of a curry (this courgette and lentil curry) or hold the entire dish on its own as in this paneer zucchini recipe.
I love zucchini on my pizza, in my pasta, as zoodles (zucchini noodles), and in whichever other way it comes to me 😆
💡 Did you know that zucchini, often considered a vegetable, is actually classified as a fruit?!
FAQs
Kootu is a stew made with vegetables (one type, generally) and yellow lentils. So, for example, if cabbage is the vegetable included, it is cabbage kootu.
Other vegetables that are common to kootu are bottle gourd, chow-chow (chayote squash), ridge gourd, carrots, mooli (daikon radish), and keerai (seasonal greens).
Kootu can also be made with a medley of vegetables (mixed veg kootu).
Mixed vegetable kootu can be made with a combination of any of the above vegetables.
Kootu is a dish with mild spices. The spices most commonly added to a kootu are coconut, cumin seeds, black pepper, green chili, and turmeric.
Other spices that can be added to a kootu are coriander and asafoetida.
If you have made this zucchini kootu recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! You can also engage with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram xx Padma
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📖 Recipe
Zucchini Kootu Recipe (Vegan, GF)
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 mixing spoon
- 1 mixer grinder or pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced zucchini (250 grams; 8⅘ ounces)
- ½ cup mung lentils (110 grams; 3⅘ ounces)
- 3 cups hot water (720 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
For the masala
- 3 tablespoons grated coconut (25 grams)
- 1 green chili
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (whole)
- 1 and ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons water
For tempering (optional) - see notes
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil or ghee
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3-4 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (white lentils)
Instructions
Gather the ingredients
- Measure all the ingredients.
- Wash the mung lentils 1 or twice, till the water runs clear.
- Dice the zucchini into bite-sized pieces.
Make the kootu
- Place the lentils and zucchini in a saucepan. Add hot water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.2 cups diced zucchini, ½ cup mung lentils, 3 cups hot water
- Turn the heat down to medium and let the lentils and zucchini cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft, but not mushy. Stir once every few minutes. Remove the foam that will float on the top.
- While the lentils are cooking, make the masala paste for the kootu.
- Place the cumin, coconut, black pepper, and green chili in a blender jar or a pestle and mortar. Add the water and grind to a coarse paste and keep aside.3 tablespoons grated coconut, 1 green chili, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 and ½ teaspoons cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons water
- When the lentils are cooked as I mentioned above, add the salt, turmeric, and coconut masala paste.¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt
- Mix well and cook for another 4-5 minutes, allowing the flavoring and spices to mingle together.
- You can, if you want more flavor, temper this dish.Place some oil or ghee in a small skillet. Add the mustard seeds and fry them till they begin to splutter. Now add the curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the kootu.2 teaspoons neutral oil or ghee, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 3-4 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon urad dal (white lentils)
- Serve the kootu warm with rice, roti, or naan.See notes below for serving suggestions.
Video
Notes
Note: The nutrition information is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Jen says
Made this surprisingly easy courgette dhal for lunch today - what a great, comforting, filling dish. Thanks, Padma! x
mygoodfoodworld says
Lovely to know that you found this recipe easy and filling. Thank you Jen!