Asparagus Moongdal kootu

Asparagus Moongdal kootu

Asparagus....I am sure lot of us do not like this veggie. I have been using this in our cooking for the past few years. I generally make dry veggie with this...a lot while making pasta too. My mom has nick named it as keerai thandu! One of my friend recently passed a tip about the goodness of asparagus for nursing moms.
I have tried making stir fry and it comes out good. Since the day my mom mentioned it as keerai thandu (stem of green leaf mainly we make it with amaranth leaves) I have been thinking of making moongdal kootu with it. It came out really well. I like asparagus when made as kootu since the crunchiness is gone while steaming it tastes more like beans.

The recipe for making keerai thandu..oops....asparagus  kootu.

Ingredients:

asparagus                       - 1 bunch
 Moong dhal /green gram-1/4 cup heaped
onion                              -1/4 cup finely chopped
whole red chilies            -6
sambar powder               -1/4 tsp
salt                                  -to taste

for tempering:

mustard seeds                   -1/4 sp
urad dhal/split black gram-1/4 tsp
cumin seeds                      -1/4 tsp
curry leaves                      -few
hing                                   -pinch
turmeric                            -pinch

Method:

• 

  Asparagus Moongdal kootu

  In pressure cooker  cook  moong dhal for 1 whistle adding 3/4 cup water

• Cut the hard edge of the asparagus.then chop it into roundels
• After the pressure goes off open the cooker and add the chopped asparagus and pressure cook again for a whistle.

• Now heat oil in a pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter.Add urad dhal, cumin seeds,hing,red chillies,curry leaves .

• Add onion ,salt,sambar powder and fry until transparent.

• Add the pressure cooked asparagus & dhal to it and cook for another  minutes.

• Serve as side dish for  Rice or chapathi