Kothavarakkai or Cluster Bean has always been a hated vegetable in our house. But recently I came across a recipe which uses Dal or lentils to neutralise the slight bitterness of this vegetable. It is super tasty and you can substitute Kothavarakkai with any variety of beans. This is a very good way to include this healthy food in your diet.
Ingredients:
| Chopped Cluster beans | 2 cups |
| Toor Dal / Sambhar Dal | 2 tbsp |
| Red chillies | 2 soaked |
| Curry leaves for tempering and soaking | as needed |
| Asafoetida | 1 tsp |
| Turmeric | 1/2 tsp |
| Mustard | 1 tsp |
| Oil | 1tbsp |
| Salt | as needed |
Method of preparation:
1. Wash and chop the cluster beans finely. Boil it in very less water with turmeric and salt. Drain and keep aside.
2. In another bowl, soak the red chillies, curry leaves and Toor dal for about half an hour. Grind it with asafoetida to a coarse paste adding the required amount of salt.
3. Grease an Idli plate, transfer the ground mixture on to it in the shape of Vadas and steam them for about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool the lentil vadas. Put them in a mixer and pulse it to a coarse powder. This process may seem a bit tedious but believe me, it is worth the effort.
4. In a frying pan, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves for tempering.
5. Add the boiled cluster beans. After sauteing for about a minute, add the ground lentil powder and mix well. Check for salt and simmer it for another 7 minutes. Make sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan by stirring it often.
6. Switch off the flame once it is cooked well and serve with Sambhar and rice.
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