• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Spicytamarind
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plan
  • Diets
    • Gluten-free
    • Eggless Cakes and Cookies
    • Grain-free
    • Refined Sugar-free Desserts
    • Festival Food
    • Vrat/Fasting Food
    • Vegan
  • Collection
    • Indian Pickle Recipes
    • Indian pizza recipes
    • Deepavali or Diwali recipes
    • Durga puja recipes
    • Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes and Festival Meal Plans
    • Holiday Season Baking
  • Ingredients
  • Basics
    • Spice blends
    • Homemade Rice Flour
    • Homemade Butter
    • How to make Ghee
    • How to make thick yogurt (curd or dahi) at home
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plan
  • Diets
  • Ingredients
  • Collection
  • Basics
  • Spice blends
×

Home » Curry & Side dish » Chayote Squash Stir Fry

Chayote Squash Stir Fry

Published: Oct 8, 2020 · by Shilpa · 6 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
Karnataka-style chayote squash stir-fry or seemebadnekai palya is an easy to make dish ready in 15 minutes
chayote squash stir fry

Chayote squash stir fry (seemebadnekai palya) step-by-step recipe with video and photos.

Jump to:
  • About chayote squash
  • About this dish
  • Ingredients
  • Bonus
  • Step by step instructions
  • Recipe card
  • Comments
Chayote Squash

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Chayote Squash

About chayote squash

chayote squash

Chayote (or chow-chow or choko) is a summer squash that belongs to the gourd family. Technically, it is a fruit and is pear-shaped (it resembles an unripe pear) but it is definitely not eaten as a fruit. This less-known vegetable is quite common in South Indian cooking. It is called seemebadnekai in Kannada and is commonly used to make sambar (dal), palya (subzi/curry), and chutney.

This healthy vegetable is a great source of fibre and is packed with folates and magnesium. It is also low in calories and carbs. This vegetable is pretty bland in taste and can easily adapt to the flavours of the dish.

About this dish

Chayote squash stir fry is a vegan dish that is ready in less than 15 minutes once the chayote is peeled and chopped. In fact, peeling the chayote is the most time-consuming part of making this dish.

It is important to cook this dish without adding any water. The water content in the chayote should be used to cook this dish. This also gives the dish a slight char which lifts its taste and flavour.

Ingredients

ingredients to make chayote squash palya.

Chayote squash: Peeled and chopped chayote squash is the key ingredient.

Coconut oil: I use coconut oil to make this dish. However, you may replace it with any cooking oil of your choice.

Spices: I use mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilli, hing,

Ginger, green chilli, and curry leaves: These are added in tempering.

Coconut, coriander leaves, and lemon juice: These are garnish and are added towards the end of cooking.

This dish pairs well with both rice and roti and is perfect for quick and easy weekday meals. Do give this easy dish a try.

Click here for more Karnataka recipes.

Bonus

This dish is:
- easy to make and suitable for beginners
- vegan
- perfect side dish with rice
- ready in 15 minutes

Step by step instructions

1. Wash and peel the chayote squash. Cut them into small cubes

2. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan or kadhai and prepare tempering (seasoning)

3. Add chayote squash

4. Mix everything well, cover and cook

chayote squash palya steps.

5. Increase the heat and let the excess moisture evaporate

well cooked.

6. Turn off the heat, then add coconut, coriander leaves and lemon juice

chayote squash stir fry

chayote squash stir fry

Recipe card

Chayote squash stir-fry

Shilpa
Karnataka-style chayote squash stir-fry or seemebadnekai palya is an easy to make dish ready in 15 minutes
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, Karnataka
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium chayote squash seemebadnekai or chow chow
  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil see notes
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1-2 dry red chilli
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon split black gram (urad dal)
  • 1 teaspoon Bengal gram (chana dal)
  • ½ teaspoon asafoetida hing
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 6-7 curry leaves
  • 1-2 green chilli finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoon coconut fresh, grated
  • ½ lemon
  • Coriander leaves

Instructions
 

  • Wash and peel the chayote squash. Cut them into small cubes
  • Heat coconut oil in a kadhai or frying pan and add mustard seeds
  • Once the mustard splutters, add dry red chilli, cumin seeds, urad dal, and chana dal
  • Next, add green chilli, ginger paste and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds
  • Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well
  • Add chayote squash and mix well
  • Cover and let it simmer until the chayote squash are cooked completely
  • Increase the flame and let the excess moisture evaporate
  • Turn off the flame, then add coconut, coriander leaves and lemon juice
  • Serve hot with rice or roti

Video

Notes

I cook the chayote squash without any water as adding water will make the dish very bland. Hence, the amount of oil is slightly more than regular palya or stir-fry. You may choose to reduce the amount of oil to 1 tablespoon but this may burn the dish if not monitored.
Nutrition Facts
Chayote squash stir-fry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 62 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 33mg1%
Potassium 129mg4%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 45IU1%
Vitamin C 37mg45%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @spicytamarind or tag #spicytamarind!
« Lamb Rogan Josh
Homemade Sambar Powder »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kayla DiMaggio

    October 31, 2021 at 1:59 am

    5 stars
    This stir fry was so delicious! I loved all the flavors!

    Reply
  2. Chris

    October 31, 2021 at 4:40 am

    5 stars
    Looks so delicious! I can't wait to try this! I love simple but flavorful dishes just like this! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Andrea White

    October 31, 2021 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! I love a good squash recipe!

    Reply
  4. Sagen

    October 31, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    5 stars
    I've never tried this type of squash. Thanks for introducing me to something new! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Sagen

    October 31, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    5 stars
    I've never tried this type of squash before. Looks amazing

    Reply
  6. Julia

    November 03, 2021 at 2:59 am

    5 stars
    Wow! What an amazing dish... the flavours were really special, savoury with a little bit of warmth from the chilli. Asafoetida isn't always an easy spice to find where live but I please that searched it out. Brilliant use of a chayote squash.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Namaste. My name is Shilpa. Born and brought up in the colourful, beautiful country India, I now reside in Melbourne with my family Read More…

Malabar spinach chutney step-by-step recipe with photos. About this recipe Malabar spinach chutney is an easy and delicious chutney made with Basella alba (basale soppu). Also called 'basale soppu' chutney in Kannada, it is very popular in coastal regions of Karnataka. This delicious chutney can be served with a South Indian breakfast. It can also...

Read More

Ragi bread step-by-step recipe with photos. About this recipe Ragi bread is a healthy and delicious bread made with finger millet flour and bread flour. This millet bread slices well and is perfect for sandwiches or toast. The ragi flour not only adds a unique flavour but also adds a lovely colour to the bread....

Read More

Sprouted ragi flour step-by-step recipe with video and photos. About this recipe Ragi is a gluten-free grain that is associated with several health benefits. Finger millet has gained immense popularity over the last few years and is widely used. I use it regularly not just in traditional dishes, but also for making cookies, bread, etc....

Read More

Footer

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • About
  • Contact

COPYRIGHT © 2022 SPICYTAMARIND.COM.AU