24 December, 2025

Sihi Kootu | Tarakari Sihi Kootu |

ಸಿಹಿ ಕೂಟು | ತರಕಾರಿ ಸಿಹಿ ಕೂಟು |

Super yummy, soothing, seasonal special rather very much suitable for this cold season, sihi kootu Prepared using very few spices and herbs easily available at home anytime

This curry is absolutely one of the winter season special dish and consuming it during winter makes us feel soothing good as well because of its ingredients which are necessarily consumed during winter

The Kannada language word ‘sihi’ translates to ‘sweet’, which means we do not add any other spices except for a small amount of black pepper corns and the word ‘Kootu’ translates to ‘the curry’, ‘tarakari’ translates to ‘vegetable’

This sihi kootu can be made using variety of vegetables available during winters. Today I have put Spinach or Palak and fresh groundnut, otherwise we can also put sweet potato, yellow pumpkin, french beans, amaranth leaves, avarekayi or hyacinth beans, pressed beans or hitakavare, chapparada avarekayi or flat beans etc. But whatever may be the vegetable we put, along with that fresh groundnut is definitely put in this kootu

Ingredients : measuring cup used – 250 ml

Spinach or Palak – 4 cups
Fresh groundnut – 1/2 cup
Cooked Pigeon peas or tuvar dal – 1&3/4 cup
Rock salt – 1 tbsp
Jaggery – 1/2 tbsp (absolutely optional)
Water – sufficient for Kootu

To roast and grind :

Coriander seeds – 1&1/2 tbsp
Split black gram or uddina bele or Urad dal – 2 tbsp
Black pepper corns – 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick – 1 inch long 1/2 inch wide piece
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Grated dry coconut – 1 cup (normally packed)
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

For tempering :

Ghee – 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – few

PROCEDURE :

Wash and rinse well the spinach and peanuts, cook until soft in sufficient water or you can steam cook as well
Meanwhile roast all the ingredients listed below the heading ‘to roast and grind’, let it cool and grind into a powder

Now into the cooked spinach and peanut mixture, put cooked lentil, ground spice powder, salt and jaggery powder and allow it to boil well

Adjust the thickness of the Kootu as per your choice by adding needed amount of water altogether, I make it in moderate consistency, ie neither thin nor thick
Prepare the tempering and pour it on the Kootu