CHOW CHOW PORIYAL/CHAYOTE SQUASH CURRY

CHOW CHOW PORIYAL/CHAYOTE SQUASH CURRY
This recipe is from my SIL. Usually my mother prepares chow-chow kootu with moong dhal or sometimes poriyal with only onions and adds red chilies and grated coconut as seasoning. This version is different from my mother’s recipe. My SIL makes it with tomatoes and onions. This is an easy and simple dish to make and it goes well with rice and rotis. To spice up the dish even more, some fennel seeds can also be added here. I have not used fennel seeds this time. If needed, the chili powder used in the dish can be reduced and 1 green chili can be added instead to add more flavor to the dish.

INGREDIENTS:
Chow-chow or chayote squash, 1.
Red onion, small, 1.
Tomato, small, 1.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 1 tablespoon.
Salt as per taste.
Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.
Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon for seasoning.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onion and tomato into small pieces. Peel the skin of the chayote squash and remove the seed in the middle of the squash and scrape off the areas surrounding the seed. Cut the squash into small bite-size pieces. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and when they start to splutter, add the diced onion and tomato and sauté them for a few minutes until everything is blended well. Then add ginger-garlic paste, the squash pieces, chili powder, coriander powder, salt along with ½ cup of water. Mix everything well and cook closed under medium flame for 10-15 minutes until the chayote squash is tender. Switch off the stove and garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Serve hot with rotis or rice.