Avarekayi Mixture / Fresh Field Beans Chivda

These were a batch of hitakida avarekalu / peeled field beans / hyacinth beans that I bought in V.V. Puram, Bangalore during my last visit to India. Finding them in July was a pleasant surprise, as avarekayi floods the markets during winter months. It seems now one can find avarekayi during off season too but however it should be noted that they miss their characteristic 'sogadu', as my sister-in-law pointed out. For the uninitiated the word 'sogadu' is a Kannada term associated with avarekaayi or avarekai as it is colloquially called. It refers to the quality of the beans in terms of aroma, flavor and the size. It seems that sogadu is determined by the weather, during the growth and harvest period of the crop. 

Avarekayi refers to the pods and avarekaalu are the beans inside those pods. They are usually sold whole with the beans still in their pods or nowadays, if you shell out extra money, you can buy beans removed from their pods and peeled. Yes, you read that right. These beans need double peeling. The beans first need to be moved from their pods and are then soaked in water for few hours. Soaking helps to peel the outer skins of the beans. Finding worms in pods is pretty normal and obviously they need to be thrown away. (Below are chivda made my mother with those avarekalu sans turmeric.)

The peeled beans are used in several dishes like uppittu, rotti, melogara, hitakida bele huli, payasa, avarekai dose and others. My recipe today is for a traditional snack called  avarekayi mixture or chivda made with fresh hyacinth beans aka avarekaalu. It is one of those tasty snacks we grew up eating, that can be fixed in less time and can be stored for a few weeks. The beans, flattened rice, and other tidbits are quick fried in oil in this preparation. Avaraekaalu / beans and flattened rice can be used in equal quantities. They can be used in 1:2 or 2:1 ratio, whatever one's preference is. Or flattened rice can be skipped totally from the recipe. I haven't mentioned the quantities of peanuts, coconut bits and roasted Bengal gram in the recipe below as they can be added according to taste.

Ingredients:

Oil to fry

1 cup hitakida avarekalu / fresh green hyacinth beans / frozen surti papdi lilva

1 cup thick poha / flattened rice

Peanuts 

Dried coconut cut into thin pieces

Roasted Bengal gram / Chutney dal / chana dalia

1 sprig of curry leaves

Salt to taste

Chili powder to taste

2 pinches of turmeric powder

Directions:

* If the beans have not been peeled, they need to be soaked overnight for at least 5 - 6 hours and then peeled. If using frozen beans, thaw them. Dry them with a towel and keep them aside.

* Heat oil in a kadai or deep pan on medium flame. If a grain of flattened rice is dropped into the oil and it immediately raises to the surface, then the oil is hot enough to fry. Otherwise heat oil for few more seconds.

* Add the coconut pieces to the oil and fry until they turn lightly golden brown. Immediately remove and transfer them onto a plate covered with a pair of paper towels to absorb the oil.

* Next add peanuts and fry them until golden brown and remove them onto the plate.

* Drop a handful of flattened rice into the hot oil. They expand and immediately raise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted ladle and transfer onto the plate. Repeat the procedure with the remaining flattened rice. 

* Add avarekalu / hyacinth beans / Surti papdi lilva to the oil and fry them in batches, until crisp or they float to the surface. Transfer them onto the plate. Turn off the stove. 

* Transfer the oil to another container and use the same kadai for the next step. Or heat another wide pan. Heat 2 tsp. oil and add dry curry leaves. When they crisp up, add roasted Bengal gram and stir once. Turn off the stove and immediately add turmeric powder, chili powder and salt.

* Add the fried flattened rice, peanuts, coconut pieces and beans.

* Stir them well to coat the ingredients with spices. 

* Let the mixture cool and store them in an airtight container.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon and check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Avarekayi Melogara / Karnataka Style Field Beans Gravy

After yesterday's avarekayi idli, here is another traditional dish from Karnataka called melogara, which I have prepared with avarekaalu, a favorite produce among the locals. Melogara is a side dish that can be served with rice or Indian breads like rotis / pooris. Avarekaalu is a Kannada word for fresh field beans / hyacinth beans and hitakida avaraekalu are peeled beans. Frozen surti papdi lilva would be a decent substitute when fresh ones are not available. The melogara can also be prepared with snake gourd (padavalakayi), mixed vegetables or any greens. 

A melogara can replace huli aka sambhar in a south Indian style menu and this particular melogara is a winter dish. Melogara is a spicy, strongly flavored and delicious gravy that is quite easy and quick to prepare. The difference between a melogara and a sambhar is that melogara doesn't require toor dal / pigeon peas for it's base and is also prepared thicker than a sambhar. A mixture of lentils, spices and coconut are sautéed and ground which forms a delicious base for this gravy. One can find gravies prepared along the same lines in other south Indian states albeit with regional variations. 

Ingredients:

1 cup hitakida avarekaalu / fresh field beans / frozen Surti papdi lilva

Salt to taste

A pinch of turmeric powder (optional)

Ingredients for seasoning / oggarane:

1 - 2 tsp. oil

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

1 sprig of curry leaves

A pinch of asafoetida powder
Ingredients for frying:

2 tsp. oil

1 tbsp. split chickpeas (chana dal / kadalebele)

1 tsp. skinned black garm (urad dal / uddina bele)

1 tsp. rice

1/2 tbsp. coriander seeds

1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

1/4 tsp. black peppercorns 
3 dried red chilis

A handful of shredded, fresh coconut

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tsp. oil and add split chickpeas, skinned black gram and rice. Sauté on low flame until the split chickpeas start to slightly change the color and add coriander seeds, poppy seeds, peppercorns, and dried red chilis. Continue sautéing until the chickpeas and black gram change color to brownish and corianders seeds change a shade darker. Then add coconut, stir for few seconds and turn off the stove. Let the mixture cool.

2. Grind the fried ingredients to a paste adding water.

3. Cook the beans adding little water in a microwave or on stove - top.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to sputter, add asafoetida and curry leaves.

5 - 7. Next add the cooked beans along with the water if any, the ground paste, turmeric and salt to the pan.

* Add enough water to bring it to a thick consistency gravy. (I added about 1 & 1/4 cups water.)

* Cook the mixture on low flame until it starts to boil and then simmer for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove,

* Serve it warm with rice and a drizzle of ghee or with rotis.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon and check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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A - Z Idli series ~ A for Avarekayi Idli

This idli platter was my inspiration to the A - Z idli series that is going on in my blog. When I cooked that platter, I thought why not try a platter 'A - Z' style and here I am. I started the series with alphabet D instead of A and today's recipe should have been the starting point. Idlis need no introduction in India. The steamed dumplings made from a fermented batter of rice and black beans is an iconic breakfast dish from southern India. This guilt free and easily digestible dish is healthy, gluten-free and vegan. 

Today's recipe is a dish from Karnataka using avarekayi aka field beans or hyacinth beans. For those who are from that south Indian state, avarekayi needs no introduction. Avarekayi called anapakaya in Telugu, papdi lilva in Gujarati / Hindi or mochai in Tamil is an important winter crop and most sought after bean, especially in the southern parts of the state. The ones available in the middle of December is considered to be the best, aroma and flavorwise and used extensively in cooking ranging from breakfast dishes to snacks.

I am posting three recipes this week with avarekayi / field beans as the main ingredient. The first one in the series is avarekayi idli where the peeled beans are blanched and are added to the idli batter along with seasoning. Avarekayi in Kannada refers to the pods and the beans inside are called avarekaalu. The outer skin of the beans is also removed to use in cooking. The peeled beans can be added to other breakfast dishes like uppittu, rotti, and dose. Frozen Surti papdi lilva can be substituted in place of fresh ones as I have done here though there is no comparison between the two in terms of flavor, to be honest. Avarekaalu adds nutrition as well as flavor to these idli. Serve them with coconut chutney for a delicious breakfast.

Ingredients: (Yield - 20 idlis)

1 tsp. oil

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1 cup peeled, fresh / frozen avarekaalu / field beans / hyacinth beans (I added 1/4 cup more.)
4 cups fermented idli batter
1/2 cup fresh / frozen grated coconut
1 tbsp. grated ginger
1 tbsp. grated / finely chopped green chillies
A handful of cilantro, chopped fine
2 sprig of curry leaves, finely chopped
Ghee / oil to grease the idli plates

Directions:
* Boil beans in a microwave with a little water. Drain the water.

* Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start to sputter, turn off the stove.
* Heat water to a idli cooker / pressure cooker / steamer base on medium heat.
* Add toasted mustard seeds, cooked beans, shredded coconut, chili - ginger paste, cilantro, curry leaves to the idli batter. Add salt to the batter if needed. 

* Mix the ingredients well with a ladle.

* Grease the idli plates and fill them with idli batter. 

* Place the idli stand in the steamer and close the lid. Don't use the pressure valve if using pressure cooker.
* Set the heat to lowest setting and steam for about 20 minutes or until when the surface of the idlis don't stick when touched with moist fingers. Turn off the stove and let sit for about 10 minutes.
* Run a sharp spoon around the edges of idlis and remove them.
* Serve them warm with a chutney and sambhar.

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Anapakaya Pulusu ~ Avarekaalu Saaru

Have you lived around Bangalore during avarekaayi season? Then, you would definitely have an idea how Bangaloreans (or Kannadigas, for that matter) adore avarekaalu, the pretty green , tasty beans, which are a nutritional power house. During that season, loads of beans are bought at every house and adults and children would be feverishly working on removing the beans from their pods. Then the beans are soaked in water, to facilitate easy peeling of the skins. Again the people would be busy working on the humongous task of removing the thin skins from the beans using hands. In spite of all this prep work, kannadigas enjoy avarekalu. This is the season for avarekaayi saaru (sambhar), nippattu (a snack), rotti, uppittu (upma) to name a few.
Here, with out those hassels, I could find frozen variety, ready to use kind. They are sold under the name 'Surti Papdi Lilva'. The name suggested they might be popular in other parts of India as well. I have used those beans to prepare the delicious avarekaalu saaru. These beans are called 'anapakayalu' in Telugu.


Ingredients needed:
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Anapakayalu (Avarekaayi /Surti papdi lilva) - 2 cups
Coriander seeds (dhaniya) - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Grated coconut (Fresh or dry) - 1/4 cup
Red chillies - 15
1" Cinnamon piece - 2
Salt - Accordingly
Tamarind extract (Thick tamarind juice) - 1 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp (Optional)

For tempering you need:
Oil - 2tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida (Hing) - half of 1/4 tsp

• Wash toor dal and anapakayalu/avarekaayi thoroughly. Cook them in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder and sufficient water until you hear two or three whistles. When all the valve pressure is released, remove the lid. Alternatively cook in a big pot till both the beans are cooked well.
• Dry fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon in a pan till they start to change color and release aroma. It would take less than a minute. Remove and keep them aside. Let them cool. Add red chillies to the same pan and fry for a few seconds. Turn off the stove and leave the chillies in the pan. If you wish, you can fry the coconut as well. It is completely optional.
• Grind the fried items with about 1/4 cup of above cooked avarekaayi in a blender into a smooth paste.
• To the cooked toordal - avarekaayi mixture, add the ground paste, salt, jaggery, tamarind and let it cook till it comes to a rolling boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Turn off the stove.
• For the tadka (tempering), heat the oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add hing and curry leaves. Leave for a few seconds and remove. Pour this to the above cooked dal. Cover with a lid.
• Serve hot with rice and a spoon of ghee or rotis.
  
  

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