Seeme Badane Kai Curd Curry (Chayote Squash )

Ready to Serve Seeme Badane Kai Curd Curry

Seeme Badane kai (Kannada) is called Chayote Squash in English. You get this vegetable all around the year. We in Karnataka do prepare so many food items with this vegetable.  I had this  Seeme Badane Kai Curd Curry in my brother in law's daughter's house. This curry goes well with plain rice. Just checked the spices she used. She has used soaked channa dal, jeera, mustard seeds. Green chilly, ginger and coconut. We people from Udupi do not add soaked channa dal and mustard seeds while grinding. We do add a spoon of soaked raw rice. This rice helps to thicken the curry and also gives a good binding. Soaked channa dal helps the curry to be thick.
Chayote Squash is also known as Chow -Chow. It it Seeme Badane Kai ( Kannada), Bangalore Katharikai or Seemai Katharikai in Tamil, Seema badanekaya in Telugu, Sheema Katharika in Malayalam.
Lets see some benefits of eating Chayote Squash in our diet. 
Seeme Badane Kai is very low in calories and it does not contain saturated fats and cholesterol. It is very rich source of dietary fiber, anti - oxidants, minerals and vitamins. It has a good source of B- Complex, Vitamins. It has minerals like iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, copper and potassium.
Seeme Badne Kai Curd Curry goes well with plain rice, any masala rice ( like puliyogare or bisi bele bath or any bath), chapatis, pooris and even dosa or idly. This is an easy recipe even the beginner can try this curry and enjoy.
This curry do not contain any onion or garlic. You can prepare on any special days or even festival or feast.

Things Needed :

Chayote squash : 2
Coconut : 1 Small cup (Fresh or dried - I have used little dried coconut).
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) : 1/2 Tea spoon
Channa Dal : 1 Table spoon
Pepper Pods : 2 to 3
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : required
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tea spoon (I have used coconut oil).
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Curd : 1 Cup
Green chilly : 2

Method : 

1. Wash and soak Channa dal for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Wash and remove the outer skin of Seeme badane Kai (Chayote Squash) and cut it into small.

3. Cook cut chayote squash pieces till soft (use half cup of water and medium flame). and keep it aside.

4. Grate coconut and grind it along with soaked channa dal, 1/2 a spoon of mustard seeds, 1/2 spoon of jeera , washed and cut ginger, pepper pods and green chilly. Remove from the mixi jar and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked chayote squash pieces, salt and turmeric powder. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add ground mixture and mix it well. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water if required(mix it well while boiling).

7. Keep a small pan on the fire and add oil. Add mustard seeds and urid dal (1/2 Tea spoon). Let the mustard seeds splutter.
8. Add curry leaves and ingh and put off the gas.
9. Add this fried mustard mixture to the cooked curry and add curd and mix it nicely and shift the curry to a serving bowl.

10.  Add cut coriander leaves and serve Seeme Badane Kai Curry  with any main dish you prepared.

Note : 

Do not add more water while cooking Chayote Squash. You can more chilly if you wish too. Adding onions to the curry is purely optional. (I have not added). You can prepare this curry with other vegetables also. Instead of curd you can use a marble size tamarind. ( I have used curd). Do not add curd to a hot curry. It may turn savoury and curdled. Add it once the curry cools a bit.(Warm).
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .