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    Home » Recipes » Easy Indian Sides

    Chayote Squash Curry in Instant Pot

    Published: Jul 13, 2022 · Modified: Sep 17, 2023 by Shilpa Kerur · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 2 Comments

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    5 from 30 votes

    Seemebadanekayi palya, or chow chow poriyal, is a Karnataka-style chayote squash curry that effortlessly elevates everyday meals. This versatile dish pairs with both rice and dal as well as roti. Making it in the Instant Pot saves time, giving you perfect taste and texture.

    chayote squash curry.
    Jump to:
    • About this recipe
    • Why you will love this recipe?
    • What is chayote squash
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQs
    • More South Indian Side Dishes
    • Recipe card
    • Comments

    About this recipe

    Karnataka-style chayote squash curry or seemebadnekai palya is an easy-to-make dish that pairs with rice and dal or roti. This vegan and gluten-free squash curry is made by cooking the chayote squash in a simple seasoning (tempering/tadka).

    This South Indian-style curry is called palya and is a popular dish in Karnataka cuisine. Palya is a part of everyday meals and is usually made with a single vegetable. It is similar to the North Indian 'sabzi' but uses different spices.

    Also popular as chow-chow poriyal, it 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 commonly made on the stovetop, but making it in the Instant Pot saves time and needs no monitoring.

    I have earlier shared beetroot palya made in the Instant Pot. Here is my recipe for seemebadnekai palya, aka chow chow poriyal. It tastes so good with plain and simple curd rice.

    Why you will love this recipe?

    • Ease of preparation: It's a straightforward recipe that can be quickly prepared for everyday meals or special occasions.
    • Versatility: It pairs well with various staples like rice, dal, and roti, making it a flexible choice for diverse meal plans.
    • Nutrition: Chayote squash is a nutritious vegetable, rich in vitamins and fiber, making this dish a healthy addition to your diet.
    • Balanced flavors: The dish combines the mild sweetness of chayote squash with the aroma of seasoning, creating a well-balanced flavor profile.
    seemebadanekayi palya.

    What is 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 (sabzi/curry), and chutney.

    This healthy vegetable is a great source of fiber and is packed with folates and magnesium. It is also low in calories and carbs. This vegetable does not have a strong taste and can easily adapt to the flavors of the dish.

    Ingredients

    chayote squash curry ingredients with labels.

    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.

    Tempering: A simple South Indian tempering (tadka or seasoning) is used for this dish. It has mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, dried red chili, hing, curry leaves, ginger, and green chili.

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

    Step-by-step instructions

    prepare initial seasoning.

    Step 1: Heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dry red chili, and hing (image 1).

    Step 2: Add curry leaves, ginger, green chili, and turmeric powder. Saute for about a minute (images 2 and 3). Add the chopped squash and salt (image 4).

    pressure cook.

    Step 3: Add water and mix well - see tips section (image 5). Secure the IP lid and set it to pressure cook mode for 3 minutes (image 6).

    Step 4: Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release. Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode for 2 minutes so that the excess moisture dries (images 7 and 8).

    top with coconut, lemon juice and cilantro.

    Step 5: Add lemon/lime juice, coconut, and cilantro (image 9).

    Expert Tips

    In this dish, I have used 4 large chowchows. After peeling, removing seeds, and chopping, I got around 5 cups.

    Cut the squash into uniform-sized pieces. This way, they will cook evenly.

    I am making this dish in an 8-quart Instant Pot and using ½ cup of water. If you use a smaller IP, use ¼ cup of water. Chayote squash releases a lot of moisture, which is sufficient to cook them.

    Be patient. The pressure will build once the squash starts to release water content. Don't be tempted to add more water.

    chayote squash in instant pot.

    FAQs

    What is palya?

    Palya is a side dish that is a part of Karnataka cuisine and loosely means cooked vegetables. It is a form of dry curry and is a part of an everyday meal in South India. This common South Indian preparation is called poriyal in Tamil, thoran in Malayalam, and vepudu in Telugu. It is usually made with a single vegetable that is cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked with a simple seasoning called 'oggarane.' It is very similar to the North Indian 'sabzi' but uses different spices. A palya can be made with or without onions and is almost always garnished with fresh coconut, lemon/lime juice, and coriander leaves (cilantro).

    How to serve this squash curry?

    This dish can be paired with roti or chapati, or it can be served with basmati rice and dal as a side dish.

    How can I store the leftovers?

    You can store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

    Can I make this on a stovetop?

    Yes. Follow this recipe and cook the squash covered until they are cooked well. It may take 35-40 minutes.

    seemebadanekayi palya, rice, and dal.

    More South Indian Side Dishes

    • beans palya.
      Beans Palya / Beans Poriyal (South Indian Green Beans)
    • cabbage palya.
      Cabbage Palya / Cabbage Poriyal (South Indian Cabbage Stir-fry)
    • Beets thoran.
      Instant Pot Beetroot Palya (Dry Curry)
    • Plantain fry or balekai palya.
      Spicy Pan-Fried Plantains

    If you tried this Chayote Squash Curry Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe card

    chayote squash curry.

    Chayote Squash Curry (Seemebadnekai Palya)

    Karnataka-style seemebadanekayi palya or chayote squash curry is an easy dish that is a part of everyday meals. It pairs very well with both rice/dal and roti. Making it in the Instant Pot saves time, giving you perfect taste and texture.
    5 from 30 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: Shilpa Kerur
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 4
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    • 4 large chayote squash (approximately 5 cups when cut)
    • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 dry red chili
    • 2 teaspoon split black gram (urad dal)
    • 2 teaspoon split Bengal gram (chana dal)
    • ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1-2 green chili finely chopped
    • ½ inch ginger finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • ½-¾ teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
    • 2 tablespoon coconut grated
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro
    • ½ lemon or lime
    • ¼-½ cup water see notes
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    Instructions

    • Wash and peel the chowchow. Cut them in half and remove the seed. Chop them into small pieces.
    • Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
    • Add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dry red chili, hing, and turmeric.
    • Add curry leaves, ginger, and green chili. Saute for about a minute.
    • Add the chopped squash and salt. Add ¼ cup water.
    • Mix well and deglaze the pot.
    • Secure the IP lid and set it to pressure cook mode for 3 minutes.
    • Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
    • Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode for 2 minutes so that the excess moisture dried.
    • Add lemon/lime juice, coconut, and cilantro. Mix well.
    • Serve hot with rice or roti.

    Video

    Notes

    In this dish, I have used 4 large chowchows. After peeling, removing seeds, and chopping, I got around 5 cups.
    Cut the squash into uniform-sized pieces. This way, they will cook evenly.
    I am making this dish in an 8-quart Instant Pot and using ½ cup of water. If you use a smaller IP, use ¼ cup of water. Chayote squash releases a lot of moisture, which is sufficient to cook them.
    Be patient. The pressure will build once the squash starts to release water content. Don't be tempted to add more water.
    Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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      Recipe Rating




    1. nancy says

      July 20, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      love this chayote squash curry! one of my favourite veggies

    2. Katie says

      July 22, 2022 at 7:21 am

      5 stars
      Love this squash curry, so good!

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