Chow Chow/Chayote Kootu and Takkali/Tomato Pachadi

To be very honest, I used to dread eating any kind of kootu during my childhood and not that I am any fond of the dish now. After eons, when I tasted this dish recently, I actually liked it. It was the same boring looking kootu, but for some canny reason, it did get me to lick my fingers. My mom would be furious reading this because she struggled to push it down my throat every other day and now, here I am, telling her I love it!
The takkali pachadi recipe is Avi's. I loved the way he made it for me when I was sick (I love getting pampered).


Takkali Pachadi:-

Ingredients:-
1 cup of curds/yogurt whisked
1 large tomato chopped finely
1 tsp of mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves
2-3 green chillies chopped finely
pinch of turmeric
pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp of karam podi/ sambar masala/red chilli powder
salt to taste

Method:-
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Wait till they crackle
Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, sambar powder, asafoetida, salt and curry leaves.
Fry well till the tomatoes get cooked well.
Add to the whisked yogurt and mix well.
Serve at room temperature.

Chow Chow Kootu:-
Ingredients:-
2 cups chopped Chow-chow / Chayote
1/4 cup Split Moong dhal
1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder
Salt to taste

To grind
2 tbl spn Coconut
3-4 Green chillies
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
Urad dhal roasted in a tsp of oil

For tempering
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp Urad dhal
pinch of Asafoetida /Hing
1 sprig Curry leaves
2-3 red chillies

Method:-
Cook the dal, turmeric powder, 1/2 a glass of water and chow chow in the pressure cooker till it gets tender (1 whistle). You may cook them in a pan too.
Meanwhile grind the ingredients to be ground to a thick paste.
In a pan, add the cooked mixture (along with the water), salt, 1/4 cup of water (if not much water is left along with the chayote) and the paste. Cook till one boil. The mixture should be a thick gravy.
Remove from heat and temper. Mix well and serve hot.