Popularly known as
Pear Squash or Chow Chow in India , this veggie belongs to the
gourd family Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and
squash. This veggie is used in both raw and cooked forms. When cooked, pear
squash is generally lightly cooked to retain the crisp flavour. Raw pear squash
may be added to salads or salsas and is often marinated with lemon or lime
juice.
In this recipe I have
cooked the pear squash lightly and stir fried it with grated coconut and subtle
aromatics which helps get rid of the bland flavour of the veggie. What I love
about this dish is it's simplicity.
Ingredients
Pear Squash/Chow Chow
- 2 (chopped fine)
Curry Leaves
Rice grains or Black
gram/Urad dal - few grains
Turmeric powder - a
pinch
Curry leaves - 2 to 3
leaves
Salt - to taste
Oil
For Grinding
Coconut (grated) - 2
to 3 tbsp (you can add more coconut, adds to the flavour)
Shallots/Small/Pearl
onions - 3 to 4
Garlic - 3 cloves
Green chillies – 1
Curry leaves – a few
Method
Grind all the
ingredients listed under 'For Grinding' into a coarse mixture.
Heat oil in a
wok. Once the oil becomes hot, add a few grains of rice or black gram/urad dal.
When this turns slightly brown, splutter mustard seeds. Add the chopped pear
squash/chow chow into it along with a few curry leaves and saut'e till the
veggie reduces. (1 minute approx) Now add the ground coconut mixture and enough
salt and mix well. Splash enough water (2 to 3 splashes) to cook the
veggie and cover and cook on a high flame till steam comes. Turn the flame to
low and keep for a 1 or 2 minutes. Then remove the lid and keep saut'eing till
done.
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