Gujarati Avarekalu Palya

Hyacinth bean, known as Avarekalu (ಅವರೆಕಾಳು) (google tells me it's also called field bean) has a season in Karnataka between December and February. Some of my Bangalore friends have told me many stories about this bean as to how people are crazy about this when it comes to making many dishes, that too in a day. Avarekalu upama, Avarekalu saru (curry), Avarekalu rotti, Avarekalu payasa , Avarekalu kurkulu, Hitkidbele palya, Hitkidbele saru, Hitkid bele soppu.... you name any dish starting with this bean's name and one would have it.

But that ends there. Because, yours truly has invented a new recipe with this bean! As the name suggests, there is a twist in the ta(i)le. Avarekalu is famous in Karnataka and now it is made in Gujarati style. 

Well, if the above is enough of my own 'bean bajana',  let me burst the suspense. It's nothing great, I just added couple of ingredients in the normal sabzi and glamorized the title a bit, that's all.  Now that I have caught your attention, I'm presenting a very simple recipe with great taste.

By the way, yesterday was the 1st day this bean was available in the place we usually buy vegetables so i guess i was an early bird to catch the bean.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1-2.

Tomato - 1 big.

Field beans - 1/4 kg.

Sesame seeds - about 50 grams.

Gram flour - a fistful. 

and usual spices.

1. As usual, chop onions and tomatoes in small pieces.

 2. Boil field beans up  to three whistles in the pressure cooker and keep aside.

One of my friends told me that, in South Karnataka, housewives who make 'hitkidbele saru' (squeezed beans curry) deliberately throw the skin (husk) of the beans outside their house in order to show off to others that they have prepared it that day at home! 

3. Dry roast sesame seeds and gram flour together till they turn brown and keep aside.

 4. Add oil to the pan, mustard, cumin and of course curry leaves. Let them sputter, There is a fragrant music in the kitchen too you see, so smell and say wah !

 5. Add finely chopped onions, fry them to golden brown and then add chopped tomatoes.

(Did you see the beauty of the above? Cooking is no less than painting abstract with various colors and shapes. If you squint your eyes, you will see Ganesha in here.)

Add little water to the above for the tomatoes to be cooked in oil and water both. It leaves oil outside that's what will add to the taste later.

6. Add boiled beans to this and fry a bit.

7. Add kitchen king masala powder, salt to taste and red chilly powder and mix well.

8. Add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil.

9. After 5-6 minutes of boiling, slowly add roasted gram flour and sesame seeds in to the mix. Stir continuously so that there is no lump of besan.

10. Add little jaggery (remember this is Gujarati style?) and stir well again, cooking for another 2 minutes. Close the lid after you have tasted it. Keep it closed for a while and serve hot or pack lunch box of your spouse.

This is how it looks. 

Trust me, if my daughter asked for it twice after hesitantly eating it initially, it must have really tasted well. मैं क्यों अपना मुंह मिया मिट्ठू बनू ? ;) 

Write your 'feed'back after trying it once. I feel all of us should once try to unite Indian states by mixing such delicacies. What say?

 - Beanfully yours.