Kathirikkai Moorungakkai Poritcha Kootu from Swamy's Kitchen

There's nothing more delicious than a bowl of kootu with hot rice on a cold winter evening.

This used to be one of the dishes my mom made every now and then for a regular meal when I was growing up in India.

Here's the authentic recipe. Enjoy and comment after. For more recipes, go to swamyskitchen.com.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shredded coconut, fresh or frozen

Two drumsticks, cut to 3"-length

2 long eggplants or about 6-8 small ones

1 1/2 cups moong dhal

2 tsps. turmeric powder

3 red chilies

2 tsps. peppercorn

1 Tbsp. urad dhal

2 tsp. sambaar podi

2 Tbsps. oil canola oil

Salt to taste

Add the vegetables to the cooked dhal. After they are half cooked, add salt and sambaar podi. Roast the chilies, peppercorn, and urad dhal in a tsp. of oil until peppercorns start to pop and the dhal turns golden brown.

Grind red chilies, urad and peppercorn along with the shredded coconut. Add to the vegetables that are cooking on the stove. Let the spices blend in well an stay in medium heat for about 8 minutes.

Remove from stove and garnish. Use the remaining oil, add mustard seeds. When they start spurting, add the urad dhal and let it brown. Finally add the curry leaves. After turning it a couple times, pour the garnish on top of the dish. Close with a lid to seal the aroma and taste.

Tastes best with rice but also work with chappathis.