Vegan Chow Chow Poriyal Recipe

Delicious, satisfying chow chow poriyal recipe from South India

Whole Food Plant Based Chow Chow Poriyal Recipe

Course: Course 2 (Vegetable Dish) for Lunch & Dinner Meals
Cuisine: Tamil Recipe from South India
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 People

INGREDIENTS

2 Chow Chow / Chayote / Bangalore Brinjal
1 Green Chili
1 cm piece Ginger
1 Onion
1 tbsp Chana Dal / Kadalai Paruppu
1 tsp Jeera / Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
2 tsp Miso Paste (Healthy Salt Alternative. See Nutrition Science Highlights below)
1 pinch Asafoetida / Perunkaayam / Hing
1 tbsp Cashews, powdered

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash chow chow / chayote, remove peel and chop finely. Peel and chop onion finely. Slit green chili along its length. Peel and chop ginger finely.
2. Dry roast chana dal without letting it burn or brown too much. Once roasted enough, add chopped chow chow with 1 tbsp water, along with chopped onions, chili, and ginger.
3. Keep an eye on the chow chow poriyal and stir once in a while so it doesn't get burnt.
4. Once cooked, remove from stove. Mix in jeera powder, black pepper powder, miso paste, asafoetida / perunkaayam / hing, and cashew powder.

Plant Based Chef Pro Tips for Chow Chow Recipe

1. Ensure to stir every few minutes to prevent burning!

Nutrition Science Highlights for WFPB Chow Chow Recipe

1. Why Miso Paste? Miso paste is fermented & salted soya bean paste. American Heart Association Maximum recommended maximum daily salt intake of 3.75 grams per person to minimise risk of high blood pressure, stomach cancer and chronic kidney disease. In addition to helping us restrict salt intake, replacing salt with miso paste also helps by neutralising the negative effects of salt by soya phytonutrients. You can easily make fresh miso paste at home by mixing 100 grams of cooked soya paste with 10 grams of salt, or 10 tablespoons of cooked soya paste with 1 tablespoon of salt. If making at home, ensure to use immediately, or freeze in batches to use later. Or, simply use 3.75 grams of salt or less per day per person and add 18 to 20 grams (dry weight) of soya beans in any dishes, spread through the day!
2. Why nuts instead of oil? Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When nuts are pressed and oil is extracted, fiber and phytonutrients are lost, along with many other nutrients. Therefore, whole nuts are much healthier than oils, whether cold-pressed or refined. In addition, they provide the oil content we need to absorb fat-soluble phytonutrients from other whole plant foods! This may be why nuts are used to garnish nearly every traditional Indian dish!