Chayote (Chow Chow) belongs to the cucumber family and is a very healthy vegetable (but it is actually a fruit), it is well known as vegetable pear. There are enormous health benefits to this green vegetable. When eaten raw it gives a crunchy taste. Generally this vegetable skin is peeled and prepared in our Indian cuisine. But do you know that the skin of this vegetable is also edible?
Chow Chow kootu is made with this vegetable cooked in coconut gravy. This is an ideal side dish for rice and sambar in our south-indian cuisine. Include this water-content rich vegetable in your diet and get benefitted.
Health benefits of Chayote (Chow-Chow):
1. Low in calories (16kcal/100gms) hence can be consumed in large quantities.
2. High source of dietary fiber hence prevents constipation.
3. This is relatively good source of folates, which is important for pregnant ladies consumption, to prevent neural defects in the newborn.
4. Provides moderate levels of potassium.
5. Very good source of Vitamin C, which potentially prevents cancer.
6. Helps iodine in keeping thyroid healthy, by providing copper, a mineral which is required in thyroid metabolism.
7. Helps prevents acne, as it has good source of zinc, a mineral which controls the hormones that produce oil in the skin.
8. It lowers blood pressure levels.
9. Good for the brain as it contains Vitamin B6, which is important for the brain functioning.
Now, let us look at how this vegetable can be prepared like kootu.
Ingredients:
1. Chow Chow (Chayote) – Skin peeled and chopped to cubes – 1 Cup
2. Moong Dhal – ½ Cup
3. For seasoning : Oil – 1 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, channa dhal – 1 tsp, curry leaves – 8 leaves
Pre-requisite:
1. Pressure cook – Chayote and moong dhal adding only required water (not excess water). Allow 2 whistles, switch off and cool.
2. Grind to paste: Coconut – ½ cup, cumin seeds – 1 tsp, green chillies - 2, small onions – 3 (peeled), garlic pods – 2 (peeled) : grind raw into a paste adding adequate water.
Note: Small onions and garlic are optional ingredients while grinding. You can avoid if you wish.
Method:
1. Season as given.
2. Open the pressure cooker, pour the season ingredients into the cooked chayote-moong dhal mixture and mix well.
3. Add the ground paste to the above and give a stir and add required salt.
4. Switch on the stove, keep the cooker with the stirred ingredients for about a minute or two, just enough for the coconut raw smell to disappear and immediately switch off. Transfer the contents to a bowl.
Chow Chow kootu is made with this vegetable cooked in coconut gravy. This is an ideal side dish for rice and sambar in our south-indian cuisine. Include this water-content rich vegetable in your diet and get benefitted.
Health benefits of Chayote (Chow-Chow):
1. Low in calories (16kcal/100gms) hence can be consumed in large quantities.
2. High source of dietary fiber hence prevents constipation.
3. This is relatively good source of folates, which is important for pregnant ladies consumption, to prevent neural defects in the newborn.
4. Provides moderate levels of potassium.
5. Very good source of Vitamin C, which potentially prevents cancer.
6. Helps iodine in keeping thyroid healthy, by providing copper, a mineral which is required in thyroid metabolism.
7. Helps prevents acne, as it has good source of zinc, a mineral which controls the hormones that produce oil in the skin.
8. It lowers blood pressure levels.
9. Good for the brain as it contains Vitamin B6, which is important for the brain functioning.
Now, let us look at how this vegetable can be prepared like kootu.
Ingredients:
1. Chow Chow (Chayote) – Skin peeled and chopped to cubes – 1 Cup
2. Moong Dhal – ½ Cup
3. For seasoning : Oil – 1 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, channa dhal – 1 tsp, curry leaves – 8 leaves
Pre-requisite:
1. Pressure cook – Chayote and moong dhal adding only required water (not excess water). Allow 2 whistles, switch off and cool.
2. Grind to paste: Coconut – ½ cup, cumin seeds – 1 tsp, green chillies - 2, small onions – 3 (peeled), garlic pods – 2 (peeled) : grind raw into a paste adding adequate water.
Note: Small onions and garlic are optional ingredients while grinding. You can avoid if you wish.
Method:
1. Season as given.
2. Open the pressure cooker, pour the season ingredients into the cooked chayote-moong dhal mixture and mix well.
3. Add the ground paste to the above and give a stir and add required salt.
4. Switch on the stove, keep the cooker with the stirred ingredients for about a minute or two, just enough for the coconut raw smell to disappear and immediately switch off. Transfer the contents to a bowl.
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