Seemebadanekayi Palya is a simple vegan stir fry (palya) from Karnataka (southern part of India) using chayote squash. It is a quick dish using mild Indian spices that can be prepared in 15 minutes. Traditionally, we eat it with rice and dal; but it goes great with some curd or yogurt rice, chapattis or even in wraps!! Chayote squash is a pear shaped light green vegetable from the gourd family. It is fat free, cholesterol free and a good source of vitamin C with plenty of antioxidants and dietary fiber. Full of moisture, it can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in various dishes.
This is one vegetable I do not make too often. There is a reason behind this. When my husband used to stay in a hostel/dorm during his college/school days, this was the standard vegetable served with meals for lunch or dinner. It is widely and easily available in south India and is a relatively cheap vegetable. That was the reason it was served frequently in the college canteen/cafeteria and he was so fed up of it, whenever I came across this vegetable in the grocery aisle, he would prevent me from buying it!! A few months back, we happened to eat at a school for the underprivileged where we normally contribute, and on special days, we get to eat with the children there. During one of those lunches, this vegetable was served and we liked it so much, I had to get this recipe from the chef!! I could not believe the method used was so simple for such an amazing taste!! Now, it is a standard recipe in our house and I have used it to make stir fries with different vegetables like beans, long beans etc. It goes great with rice, any dal or curry (mooga ghushi, beet greens ambat, dalithoy etc.)
Chayote Squash Upkari with Podis (updated April 2023):
Absolutely love this vegetable and this time, for a variation, made the same curry sprinkled with some homemade chutney powders like my Shenga Chutney/Peanut Chutney Powder and Molagai Podi which I normally enjoy with dosais and idlis! You can use either or both. Just sprinkle a couple of teaspoons and mix just before removing from stove!
Turned out so, so delicious with more added nutrition from the podis or dry chutney powders! Other quick stir fries you can try are: Brocolli Stir fry, arbi upkari, beans upkari, cluster beans stir fry etc.
Step-wise Instructions to make Seemebadanekayi Upkari:
Wash, peel and remove any seeds from the seemebadanekayi and chop into small pieces. Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 seemebadanekayi/chayote squash 2 teaspoons coconut oil (or any cooking oil) ½ teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal/white split lentils 1 teaspoon chana dal/split yellow dal 2 to 3 dry red chilies, roughly chopped ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder 1 to 2 teaspoons jaggery/unrefined sugar/brown sugar (add according to taste) Few curry leaves Salt to taste 2 tablespoons grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
Instructions Notes Instead of dry red chillies, you can use ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder. If you like your curry more spicy, then feel free to add garam masala powder, coriander powder or even dry chutney powders/podis to enhance the taste! Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!
Keep the rest of the ingredients ready as it is a quick stir fry.
In a saucepan, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When it starts to splutter, stir in the urad dal, chana dal, turmeric powder, hing and red chillies and sauté for a few seconds.
Add the curry leaves and chopped vegetables, jaggery and salt to taste and mix well.
Cook on medium low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes (preferably covered) till the vegetables are slightly cooked but still have the crunch in them. Do not try to overcook or they will be too soft and not so tasty. Just before removing from the stove, stir in the grated coconut, give it a good mix and serve hot with rice and any dal; goes great with chapattis and rotis (Indian flatbreads).
Enjoy and Happy Eating!
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