It’s mid-October, and the trees around here are turning beautiful shades of orange and red. There’s a sharp nip in the air and La Niña is promising another cold, wet winter in the Pacific Northwest.

Meanwhile, back in Coorg, the land is blossoming again. The monsoon has retreated, the rain-soaked land is transformed and the hills are every beautiful shade of green. Today is the festival of Kaveri Shankramana, celebrating the annual rebirth of the River Kaveri at Talakaveri,  near  Bhagamandala. Pilgrims make their way there to witness the moment when the water springs up in a small tank at a precisely determined time. At home, families rise early to bathe and perform the rituals associated with this festival.

Kaveri Shankramana is the only major festival of the Kodavas that is celebrated with a vegetarian feast. The menus of the day usually include simple vegetarian fare like kumbala curry, dosa, thalia puttu (yes, another puttu!), kootu curry and a rice payasa by way of dessert.

Not to put too fine a point on it, there is typically a great deal of good natured grumbling in the ranks and feigned weakness brought on by the lack of “nourishment” on this one day of enforced vegetarian diet. Everyone survives, and the food is still delicious.

Kootu is a thick stew of mixed vegetables with a spiced coconut masala. It lends itself to endless variations – from the spicing, the choice of vegetables used and whether or not you wish to add lentils.

My thanks to Mrs Ranu Appanna and her daughter, Vindhya Somaiah, for taking the time to share this recipe with us. This version uses very little coconut and has a warm, deliciously nutty flavour from the roasted spice mix. The garlic in the tempering complements this perfectly.

Kootu curry

• 3/4 kilo mixed vegetables

Choose from the following or make your own medley:

• Green beans and their fresh seeds, if available. (Any fresh beans will do. Borlotti beans are delicious made this way)
• Potatoes
• Kholrabhi
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Fresh green peas
• A small tomato or two
• 3/4 cup of Toor Dal

Slice the green beans and cut all the vegetables into large chunks. Bring 3 – 4 cups of water to a boil and add the vegetables, starting with the slower cooking ones. Add the quick cooking vegetables to the pot at a later stage to ensure they don’t get overcooked.

Cook the toor dal separately, with as little water as possible.

The Masala:

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• 4-5 dry red chillies
• 3 tbsp fresh,grated coconut
• 2 tbsp uncooked rice
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp ghee (or oil)
• 1 tbsp thick tamarind extract

Heat a few drops of ghee or oil in a heavy skillet and gently roast the above ingredients except the tamarind. When they’re all roasted, put them back in the heated skillet together and add:

• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida (roast separately if you’re using the lump form)

This way, you avoid the risk of scorching these ingredients

Grind them all together into a fine paste, with a little water and the tamarind extract. Mix the ground masala, vegetables, dal, salt to taste and bring to a simmer.

Temper the stew with:

• 1 – 2 tbsp ghee (or oil)
• 1 small sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 4 – 5 small garlic cloves, crushed with the skin on

Heat the ghee or oil in a small pan, then add the mustard. When the seeds sputter, add the curry leaves and the crushed garlic and sauté until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Pour over the vegetable stew.
Your kootu curry is ready! 🙂

Happy Kaveri Shankramana!