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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