Senai kizhangu puli Kootu is a tasty and easy South Indian rice accompaniment that is prepared using Instant pot. Yam Kootu can be prepared within 30 minutes.
I couldn’t believe this is my first Senai kizhangu based recipe in TMF. I know senai kizhangu is not frequent in our home, but few years of blogging without a single Yam recipe is definitely a surprise. When I started cooking Amma told Senai kizhangu need to washed properly, otherwise it might be itchy. Since then I have been extra cautious, and cut down the frequency of cooking yam.
Recently I was doing grocery shopping in Indian store with my friend and I saw my friend taking yam. She told me Senai kizhangu is rich in vitamin and very good for women. I didn’t know all these but my favorite part was when I heard it is good for weight loss. After hearing that I didn’t even think twice about buying it.
Here we get small pieces wrapped in cling wrap. I was doubtful about the quantity so I got only one such piece. I cleaned it and cut into small cubes and realized it is not enough for poriyal. As always I called my Amma and asked for some recipe. She told me to try Kootu. I immediately asked Kootu with Senai kizhangu? With a big doubt, but she said tamarind gives nice flavour for the Kootu also it is good to make Senai with puli.
Other kootu varieties in TMF,
Amma told recipe but it was with multiple steps. Cooking dal separately, 50 % of Senai kizhangu in water, 50 % of senai kizhangu in tamarind water. Adding dal and ground paste. Lazy me just went with instant pot cooking. I have sauted the spice mix separately and cooked eveything in IP. I like using IP for my everyday Indian cooking. It not only makes cooking easy but no compromise in taste.
Cabbage Kootu was was the first instant pot recipe o have posted in TMF. You will be seeing lot of IP based Indian recipes in TMF.
Check out other instant pot recipes in TMF,
Instant Pot Mixed Vegetable Curry
Senai Kizhangu Kootu | Elephant Yam Kootu
Ingredients
- Senai Kizhangu - 1 cup peeled and chopped
- Tamarind extract - 1/2 cup
- Toor dal - 1/4 cup soaked for one hour in hot water
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- Water - 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup
- Salt - as needed
- Jaggery - pinch
- Hing - generous pinch
- To roast and grind:
- Coriander seeds - 1 tsp + 1/2 tap
- Channa dal - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek - 4
- Pepper - 2
- Red chilli - 2
- Coconut - 3 tbsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- To temper:
- Coconut oil - 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
- Red chilli - 1
- Curry leaves - few
Instructions
- Soak toor dal in hot water for one hour and keep aside
- Soak small gooseberry size tamarind in hot water and extract tamarind water
- Wash senai kizhangu well and remove the skin and shop into small squares
- Dry roast Channa dal, coriander seeds, red chilli, pepper, fenugreek and red chilli till it turns golden brown
- Add cumin seeds and sauté for 5-10 secs. Add coconut; mix well and cook for 45 seconds. Switch off let it cool down. Add little water and ground
- Turn on Instant pot in sauté mode. Add oil and when oil is hot add mustard seeds, Urad dal and red chilli; let it splutter
- Turn off IP
- Add senai kizhangu, tamarind extract, ground paste, toor dal , 1/2 of water added to mixie and jar, hing and turmeric powder; mix everything well
- Turn on IP in manual mode and cook for 22 minutes, high temperature. Let pressure release naturally
- Add salt, 1/4 cup of water and jaggery mix well cook for a minute and switch off
Video
Notes
- Kootu can also be cooked in pressure cooker
- if you prefer pan cooking method. Cook dal separately. In a pan cook senai kizhangu in water till it is 50% done. Had tamarind water and cook the veggies. Add cooked dal, ground paste to the tamarind water and cook for 5-6 minutes
- Adjust the spice according to your taste
Ingredients:
Senai Kizhangu – 1 cup, peeled and chopped
Tamarind extract – 1/2 cup
Toor dal – 1/4 cup soaked for one hour in hot water
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup
Salt – as needed
Jaggery – pinch
Hing – generous pinch
To roast and grind:
Coriander seeds – 1 tsp + 1/2 tap
Channa dal – 1 tsp
Fenugreek – 4
Pepper – 2
Red chilli – 2
Coconut – 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
To temper:
Coconut oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli – 1
Curry leaves – few
How to make Senaikizhangu kootu:
- Soak toor dal in hot water for one hour and keep aside
- Soak small gooseberry size tamarind in hot water and extract tamarind water
- Wash senai kizhangu well and remove the skin and shop into small squares
- Dry roast Channa dal, coriander seeds, red chilli, pepper, fenugreek and red chilli till it turns golden brown
- Add cumin seeds and sauté for 5-10 secs. Add coconut; mix well and cook for 45 seconds. Switch off let it cool down. Add little water and ground
- Turn on Instant pot in sauté mode. Add oil and when oil is hot add mustard seeds, Urad dal and red chilli; let it splutter
- Turn off IP
- Add senai kizhangu, tamarind extract, ground paste, toor dal , 1/2 of water added to mixie and jar, hing and turmeric powder; mix everything well
- Turn on IP in manual mode and cook for 22 minutes, high temperature. Let pressure release naturally
- Add salt, 1/4 cup of water and jaggery mix well cook for a minute and switch off
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My husband loves senai a lot and after he is back from travels, I usually cook this. Senai is extremely healthy and filling too actually, so are all kizhangus in general I guess. Loved the recipe and beautiful clicks of thick kootu.
Had been wanting to check this from sunday when I saw the pic in insta but got time now only.. Interesting recipe dear.. I buy yam frequently but never tried kootu yet. new to me.. Will try this soon 🙂
Thanks a lot Chitz:-)Do try, I am eagerly waiting to hear from you