Avarekalu Saaru Recipe | How to make Hitikida Avarekaalu Sambar (Huli) [Video]

Avarekalu Saaru or Avarekaalu Huli is a winter special curry made in Bangalore, with seasonal hyacinth beans by double peeling them and cooking them in a coconut and spice based masala. This Avarekalu Sambar is vegan.

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Avarekalu, is a delicious bean that is very local to the region around Bangalore-Mysore. It is very similar in profile with edamame beans, just much smaller in size. They flood the markets in Bangalore around this time of the year aka winter. They are either sold whole, with the beans still in their pods or sometimes, loose beans removed from the pods. There is even an entire fest dedicated to these beans at the Food Street near V.V. Puram in Bangalore. The entire food street gets obsessed with these avarekalu and you will see them being used so creatively in so many recipes. There are dosa, thalipettu, curries, sweets, and what not. If you are in Bangalore, this is one traditional fest you should not miss. 

I first ate avarekalu when I moved to Bangalore. The first time I ate in this avatar of Hitikida Avarekalu Saaru was when my friend got it for lunch at work. It was her grandma's specialty and it was super delicious. I managed to get the recipe from her and after several confusions about the quantities of the ingredients, I finally got it right to suit my palate. Since then, come winter, I make this curry multiple times.

When I first posted this recipe back in 2014, I never imagined it would be my most popular recipe on the blog. Come winter and the popularity of this Avarekaalu Saaru recipe starts rising. After 5 years, I decided it was time I reposted this recipe along with a video that gives you step by step instructions on how to make this Hitikida Avarekaalu Saaru.

(Clockwise from top left) Whole avarekai, Shelled avarekalu, peeled avarekalu, peeled and unpeeled avarekalu

Hitikida Avarekaalu Saaru is a South Indian vegan curry made from double peeled avarekaalu or hyacinth beans. You can make this curry with any fresh beans you have available - edamame, fava, double beans, toovar or even avarebele (lentils of hyacinth beans). Hitikida refers to the process of squeezing out the beans from their cover. The beans are double peeled to make the curry, first the beans are removed from the pods and next from their really thin cover. If you are bored to do the second step, you can cook it with the cover on, only they will take a tad longer to cook. While soaking the beans in water before squeezing them out is the traditional way to peel them, I found that freezing them overnight in a bag works wonders. It is much easier to squeeze them out when frozen and thawed. 

The curry is actually a sambar or huli which is made with freshly ground sambar masala. The masala is simple and contains coconut, aromatics, whole spices and ground spices. The curry can be enjoyed as a side with akki rotti or chapati when it is thicker in consistency and with rice when it is thinner in consistency. 

Enjoy!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Avarekalu Saaru | Hitikida Avarekaalu Sambar

Avarekalu Saaru or Avarekaalu Huli is a winter special curry made in Bangalore, with seasonal hyacinth beans by double peeling them and cooking them in a coconut and spice based masala. This Avarekalu Sambar is vegan.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:          South Indian 
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:              2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 cups Avarekalu or Hyacinth Beans
0.75 cups grated Coconut
1 Tbsp Poppy seeds
1 small Onion
1 Tbsp chopped Garlic
A pinch Asafoetida
1 - 2 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1.5 Tbsp Coriander seeds
1/2" piece Cinnamon
1-2 Cloves/
1 tsp Tamarind
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
8-10 Curry leaves
2 tsp Oil
Salt
Water

Method:

1. To double peel the avarekalu or hyacinth beans, remove the beans from their pods.
2. Soak the beans in water for 30-45 minutes or freeze them ovenight in a ziploc bag or a box.
3. Pat the beans dry on a kitchen towel.
4. Gently squeeze out the bean from its peel.
5. Boil the beans in mildly salted water until soft.
6. While the beans cook, make the sambar masala by grinding together coconut, onion, garlic, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida or hing, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and tamarind along with a little water.
7. Once the beans are cooked, add the sambar masala along with 1-2 cups of water and allow it to reach a boil.
8. If you are planning to eat it with rice, add more water, and if with chapati or rotti, add less water.
9. Add salt as required. Remember the water was salted while cooking the beans.
10. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.
11. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves.
12. Pour this tempering into the curry and remove from heat.
13. Serve hot with rice, rotti or chapati.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Avarekalu Uppit

Rasam

Kaalu Palya

Read more ...

North Karnataka Jolada Rotti Oota - Part 4 - Kaalu Palya Recipe | Cowpeas Curry | Lobia Masala [Video]

Jolada Rotti Oota is a North Karnataka Thali that has jowar roti, spicy curries and condiments along with salads and sweets. North Karnataka style kaalu palya is a vegan curry made with alsande kaalu (cowpeas / lobia/ black eyed peas). 

The last part of my "North Karnataka Jolada Rotti Oota" series is here. Today I am sharing the recipe for Kaalu Palya ( Cowpeas Curry or Lobia Masala).

"North Karnataka Jolada Rotti Oota" refers to the "thali" or plate meal presented in the photo above. It is a popular meal in the northern regions of the state of Karnataka. The Jowar Roti or Jolada Rotti, that I shared earlier, is the star of the meal. These gluten free, vegan and oil free flatbreads are made from jowar or sorghum millet and if made well, totally melt in your mouth. The bland rotti is always served with spicy sides like Yennegai, Soppina Palya and Kaalu Palya.

Kaalu can refer to the contents of any legume pod in Kannada. This curry is made from alsande kaalu or cowpeas or lobia. Dried peas are used for this recipe. The peas are soaked overnight and then cooked in salted water. These peas are then simmered in a simple masala made from onions, tomatoes and spices. The same curry can be made with Mung beans or dried Green Peas. They both taste equally good.

This Kaalu Palya is vegan, gluten free and super healthy. It can also be made to fit plant-based diet by sauteing the vegetables in water instead of oil. I have made it in the past with zero oil and not felt the difference in taste.

This Kaalu Palya tastes fabulous with wholewheat rotis or naans too. 

You might also like the other recipes in the North Karnataka Series - 

• Jolada Rotti or Jowar Roti
• Yennegai
• Soppina Palya

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Kaalu Palya Recipe | Cowpeas Curry | Lobia Masala

North Karnataka style kaalu palya is a curry made with alsande kaalu (cowpeas / lobia/ black eyed peas). It is traditionally served with Jolada Rotti or Jowar Roti.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     8 hours
Cook time:     40 minutes
Total time:     8 hours 40 minutes
Yield:               Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup dried Cowpeas
1 large Onion
1 large Tomato
1 tsp Garam Masala
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
6-7 Curry leaves
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
3 tsp Oil
Water as required
Salt to taste
Handful of Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak the cowpeas overnight or for 8-10 hours.
2. Drain the water and cook them in mildly salted water until done. If pressure cooking, then only cook for 1 whistle, cowpeas cook very quickly.
3. Do not throw out the water in which the cowpeas were cooked. Reserve the water for use later.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
5. Once, they splutter, add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Saute until fragrant.
6. Add finely chopped onion and saute until translucent.
7. Add finely chopped tomato and cook until soft.
8. Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala and mix well.
9. Add the cooked cowpeas and 1 cup of the water it was cooked in. Cook on medium to high heat for 7-8 minutes.
10. If you want a thinner gravy, add more water.
11. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves while serving. Serve hot with Jolada Rotti or roti.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Soppina Palya

Yennegai

Jolada Rotti

Read more ...

8 Grilled Vegetarian/Vegan Delights

A compilation of eight Vegetarian/Vegan grill recipes.

I am bringing to you a Tempting Tuesday post with lots of color and vibrance today. This post is a compilation of eight of my favorite recipes that involve grilling. Late summer is the perfect time to bring out the grill and char those beautiful summer vegetables and produce and make a healthy vibrant meal.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and bring out that grill!

Vegetarian Souvlaki Rolls [Vegan option available]

Greek flavored grilled vegetables and a zingy yogurt sauce, rolled in your favorite bread.  I highly recommend a garlic naan bread. Just the colors in this dish will brighten up your day. Use vegan yogurt to make the recipe vegan.

Grilled Cauliflower Summer Bowls [Vegan]

A vibrant summer bowl of spicy grilled Cauliflower, chewy Black Rice, fresh vibrant summer salad all tossed with a mint coriander oil. Rainbow in a bowl!

Grilled Vegetable Open Sandwich [Vegan]

Grilled Summer vegetables over a bed of mashed ripe avocado on a slice of crusty sourdough bread. Perfect for healthy mornings!

Corn Tomato Bharta [Vegan]

Pureed sweet summer tomatoes and sweet corn simmer along with aromatics and spices to make a delicious curry. Serve it up hot with roti, naan or rice.

Grilled Eggplant and Coriander Hummus Rolls [Vegan]

There is no way we are talking about grilling and skipping the eggplant. Thinly sliced eggplant is grilled and rolled with coriander (cilantro) hummus to make finger licking rolls.

Grilled Vegetable Open Sandwich [Vegan option available]

Two crusty chunks of rye bread, a generous helping of creamy tartar sauce and the hero - a garlic and chilli marinated slab of Paneer that is grilled to perfection. Oh ya and lettuce too. That's what is in this Grilled Paneer Sub Sandwich. Replace the Paneer with Tofu to make the recipe vegan.

Instant Paneer Tikka [Vegan option available]

Paneer, Capsicum and Tomato coated in an instant marinade of spices and grilled to make a quick weekday snack. This Paneer Tikka is perfect for the lunch box too. Replace the Paneer with Tofu to make the recipe vegan.

Bean and Grilled Veggie Burger with Coriander Cashew Sauce [Vegan]

Vegan burger with a patty made from grilled vegetables and red kidney beans and topped with a sauce made from coriander and cashews.

If you tried these recipes, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like these recipes, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

If you liked this, you may also like:

Read more ...

Undhiyu | Gujarati Undhiyo Recipe | Gujarati Mix Vegetable Curry [Video]

Undhiyu Recipe with step by step video instructions. Undhiyu is a mix vegetable Winter curry from the western state of Gujarat. It is a lovely green curry made from fresh coconut, coriander leaves and other aromatics and spices. The choicest of the winter vegetables are added along with the quintessential Muthia or Muthiya. This winter special is best enjoyed with hot Puris.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

Food is how I celebrate and this mix vegetable Gujarati Undhiyu is just that. A celebration in your mouth. Full of seasonal winter vegetables and spices. A warming bowl of curry. I made this last week. Somehow it took me a week to get this published. I cooked some other amazing dishes like this Vegan Zucchini Kale Lasagna that I was really excited to post about, and somehow this celebratory bowl just took the backseat. Not that this is any less amazing, but I was super excited to have tried my hand at making vegan cheese that I had to bring it out to the world just as quickly as I could. 

Back to my all-time favorite Gujarati curry - Undhiyu. While one thinks of India as a predominantly vegetarian eating country, it happens we are all wrong. Apparently a lot of India actually caters to the non vegetarians, but there is one state that never lets down vegetarians - Gujarat. The western most state of India is full of flavorful vegetarian food. From Dhokla to Handvo and similar scary sounding dishes that actually explode with flavor in your mouth to this super delicious Undhiyu. Undhiyu in it's humblest form is actually just a simple mix vegetable curry that is made using seasonal winter vegetables and a masala paste made using coconut, fresh coriander leaves and a few spices.

I had forgotten how much I liked Undhiyu until recently my sis's sis in law got us some. I couldn't get enough of it. I could have eaten the entire pot full of curry, but hey, I'm not that rude, I had to leave some for the rest. I HAD to make some of my own that I need not share with anyone, except of course Raj. I can rarely sneak food without him knowing, after all, he does the dishes. I love that man.

Traditionally, Undhiyu uses the following vegetables:

• Potato
• Baby brinjal or eggplant
• Purple yam
• Yam
• Raw banana or plantain
• Fresh Toovar or Pigeon Peas (Togarikalu)
• Fresh Surti Papdi or Hyacinth Beans (Avarekai / Avarekalu)

A lot of this can be substituted if it is not the season or not available in your area. I could get most of it, except the purple yam. I'm yet to find it in Bangalore. I used Arbi. You can replace it with any variety of yam. The fresh toovar or pigeon peas can be replaced with fresh green beans. The surti papdi can be replaced with green beans and the surti beans can be replaced with Edamame. Don't worry about having the exact ingredients, just use what is available.

Apart from the vegetables, steamed balls made of gram flour or besan, spices and methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) called Muthia are also added for more flavor and texture. Methi leaves add a nice salty fragrance to the dish. But if you cannot find methi, feel free to replace with dill leaves, coriander or any fragrant greens. You can also buy ready made muthia in some places, like Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

Undhiyu gets all its flavor from the green masala. The green masala is made by blending together fresh coriander leaves, fresh coconut, ginger, garlic, green chillies, sesame seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, sugar, salt and lime juice. This masala is then stuffed into brinjal, and into baby potatoes if you use them. Then just heat oil in a pressure cooker and layer the vegetables and leftover masala and cook for 1-2 whistles until done. A pressure cooker drastically cuts down the cooking time making it a very quick cooking dish. However, if you don't own a pressure cooker, just use a covered flat bottomed saucepan or pot, preferably deep.

Undhiyu is generally eaten with either roti or puri.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Undhiyu | Gujarati Undhiyo Recipe | Gujarati Mix Vegetable Curry

Gujarati Undhiyu or Undhiyo is a vegan mix vegetable curry made with seasonal winter vegetables, methi muthia and a coriander based masala.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     75 minutes
Yield:                Serves 4 to 5

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

The Vegetables:

5-6 Baby Potatoes
5-6 small Brinjals
1 raw Banana
1 small Sweet Potato
0.5 cup fresh Toovar or Pigeon Peas or Green Peas
0.5 cup fresh Surti beans or Hyacinth Beans or Edamame
8-10 fresh Surti Papdi or Green Beans

For the green masala:

1 cup chopped Coriander
1 cup grated Coconut
1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger, chopped
2-3 Green Chilli
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sugar
0.5 lime
Salt to taste

For the methi muthia:

1 cup Methi leaves, tightly packed
1 cup Whole wheat flour (atta)
0.5 cup fine Semolina (rava / sooji)
1 Tbsp Gram flour (Besan)
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Sugar
Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 tsp Red chilli powder
0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
3 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil to fry

For the tempering (tadka):

4-5 Tbsp Oil
0.5 tsp Carom seeds or Ajwain
1 tsp Cumin seeds or Jeera

1 cup Water

Method:

To make the methi muthia:

1. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, hing, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, sugar, salt and 2 Tbsp oil to the chopped methi leaves and mix well.
2. Add in gram flour (besan), whole wheat flour, semolina (rava / sooji) and 1 Tbsp of remaining oil and knead into a stiff dough with water.
3. Heat Oil in a deep pan for frying.
4. Shape the muthia into small logs and deep fry until done and browned.
5. Keep aside until required.

To make the green masala:

6. Grind together all the ingredients for the green masala. If the mixture is too dry and difficult to grind, add only 1 tsp of water to help grinding. Adding too much water will make the consistency of the masala too loose.

To make the Undhiyu:

7. Peel the raw banana and cut into large chunks.
8. Chop the sweet potato into chunks.
9. Chop the surti papdi or the beans into 1" pieces.
10. Make a criss cross lengthwise slit on the brinjal and the baby potato.
11. Stuff the brinjals and potatoes with the masala.
12. Heat 4-5 Tbsp oil in the pressure cooker.
13. Add carom seeds (ajwain) and cumin seeds.
14. Once they brown slightly, add the surti papdi, surti beans and the fresh toovar or their replacements.
15. Add one third of the leftover masala and mix well.
16. Now add the raw banana and sweet potato.
17. Sprinkle over one third of the green masala. Sprinkle over 2-3 pinches of salt and 1-2 Tbsp oil.
18. Now layer the stuffed vegetables on the top along with the muthia.
19. Add the remaining masala and sprinkle a pinch of salt.
20. Add 1 cup of water from the side. Cover and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or 8-10 minutes.
21. After the pressure settles, open the pressure cooker and gently mix the curry without breaking the stuffed vegetables.
22. Garnish with lots of fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves before serving. Serve hot with roti or puris.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Dalma

Handvo

Read more ...

Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

You know that feeling when you soooo want to eat something, you can already taste it before you have laid your hands on it, but it is so far away that you cannot reach it? Disappointed?

I miss Pao!!

Pao, sometimes called the lifeline of Goa, is a bread that was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese settlers and is by far the best bread I've ever had. Pao, sometimes called Pav, is available almost all through the country, but no one makes it the way it is made in Goa. It has a crusty outside and a chewy crumb; a texture that is just incomparable. Pao is such an integral part of Goan cuisine, that the Government actually subsidizes the cost of Pao.

I've pretty much eaten Pao every single day I lived in Goa. I've bought it for my grandparents when it cost as little as 25 Paise and today, when it costs 20 times more. I still wait for the Poder (local Pao seller) to come on his bicycle fixed with a cane basket in the back, honking his way through the meandering little streets bringing bread to every local man.

Look at this variety of wonderful Pao that I picked up on my recent vacation to Goa.

Just this week, I was in Goa. It was a short 5 day vacation where I met up with family and haunted all our favorite food joints across the state. While Bangalore is cosmopolitan and you pretty much get everything here, except probably the purple yam. I miss those certain somethings, that I took so much for granted when I stayed in Goa - a simple cheesy Mushroom Capsicum sandwich; Gobi Manchurian made exactly how it is supposed to be, fresh and with no food coloring; Chocolate cakes with chocolate cream that are to DIE for; that too sweet, yet perfectly enjoyable Badam Milk that you have to drink standing outside on the road; Samosa which has little pieces of beetroot in it along with the potato; that garlicky Batata Vada and lastly, loads and loads of Pao Bhaji. 

As much as I miss that wonderful Pao, I miss the coconut filled Bhaji too. It is pretty much my standard breakfast when I go to Goa. The Goan Pao Bhaji is very different from the Mumbai Pav Bhaji that is made with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. The Goan Pao Bhaji is usually made with some beans and coconut. Sometimes with Mushrooms too.

Goan bhaji is also called Tonak with Alsane Tonak being the popular one around. Alsane or Alsande are red cowpeas. To make Alsane Tonak, these red cowpeas are simmered in a spicy roasted coconut masala. 

To make Alsane Tonak, you need to coax the coconut gently to turn golden brown, before you grind it along with spices to make the Tonak gravy. This Alsane Tonak is not a recipe to be rushed, it encompasses the spirit of Goa - Relaxed, Sosegado... This is where you add all your love and patience into the otherwise simple gravy. The darker the color, the better the dish. However, don't burn it, trying to get it dark. 

When you go to a restaurant and ask for a "Mixed Bhaji", you will get the Tonak served with a helping of a simple Potato Bhaji on the side. So if the spice gets a bit much, let your next spoonful be the salty turmeric potatoes.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mushroom Cafreal - Another famous Goan curry made by cooking mushrooms in a coriander sauce.
• Banana Blossom with White Peas - Dry Goan curry made with banana flower and dried white peas.
• Misal - Spicy gravy made with sprouts from the western coast of India.

Alsane Tonak | Goan Pao Bhaji

Alsane Tonak is a Goan Pao Bhaji curry made by simmering red cowpeas in a spicy roasted coconut gravy.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     8 hours
Cook time:     1 hour
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 cup Red Cowpeas, dried
2 cups fresh Coconut, grated
2 Onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
2-3 Cloves
5-6 Peppercorns
0.25" Cinnamon
1 Bay leaf, dried
2-3 dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
4-5 Kokum Peels or Marble sized Tamarind
2-3 cloves Garlic
0.5" Ginger
4-5 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Soak the cowpeas overnight or for 7-8 hours.
Drain the water and cook the cowpeas with 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp Salt until done. The cowpeas should not be mushy, they should still have a bite. If using a pressure cooker to cook the peas, keep it for only 1-2 whistle and then release the pressure immediately, else they will overcook.
Drain the water and keep aside. Do not throw out the water, we use it later in the recipe.
Soak the kokum peels or tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water and keep aside.
Heat 3 tsp Oil in a kadhai or pan and add half the onions.
Fry until the onions are translucent.
Now add the grated coconut and on low flame roast until the coconut turns golden brown. Stir occasionally to prevent the coconut from burning. This slow roasting takes time, almost half an hour.
When the coconut turns golden brown, add the cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, peppercorns and dry red chillies and continue to roast for another 3-4 minutes.
Allow to cool, then add the turmeric powder and the water in which the Kokum or Tamarind was soaked and grind to a fine paste.
Crush the ginger and garlic into a coarse paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onions.
Fry until translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the ground coconut masala and mix well.
Add the cooked cowpeas along with 0.75 cup water in which it was cooked.
Add salt if required.
Allow it to come to a boil, then cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Serve hot along with Goan Pao or bread.

Read more ...

Bean and Grilled Veggie Sliders with Coriander Cashew Sauce

I finally got around to making these Bean Burgers.

I'm a big fan of Burgers and a bigger fan of Bean Burgers. If I see a Bean Burger on the menu, you can be sure I'm ordering it. Regular Bean Burgers are usually just mashed beans shaped into a patty and fried. They are mushy and generally low on spice. So when I set out to make my Bean Burgers, I knew I wanted to add another element to it, another flavor, something that would make my Bean Burger tastier and juicier. TA-DA! Grilled Veggies.

Grilled veggies are the best, aren't the? Low on calories, high on health, super high on taste, and absolutely vibrant to look at. This burger was a marriage of two of my favorite things.

So let me tell you what's about to go down:

• A crispy golden SHALLOW FRIED patty made from beans, grilled vegetables, garlic, sauteed onions and cabbage, red chilli powder and oat flour. 
• A creamy VEGAN sauce made by blending cashews with garlic, coriander, lime and salt. Juicy creamy green goddess goodness.
• Tomato and Onion slices, just to UP the fresh quotient and to add crunch without any effort at all.
• Multi grain buns. 

Now tell me that isn't healthy!!

Just because it is healthy, does not mean it is losing out on taste or texture. The Bean Patty is everything it should be. It has beans that are hearty and filling. The grilled veggies are coarsely blended with the bean mixture and add a bite to the otherwise plain burger. With each bite you get a different mix of grilled vegetables, so you'll never be bored. I grilled my veggies with very little olive oil in the oven. I used a mix of colored capsicums or peppers and zucchini. The sauteed onions add a much needed sweetness. And the cabbage.. well, I had the cabbage, so I tossed it in. It adds to the texture, but can totally be skipped. Garlic, chilli and salt are a given, so no discussion there. Oat flour - I know this just upped the health factor, but that's not why it is there. The entire patty is made of only wet ingredients, there is nothing else to soak up the juices. Juiciness is needed, but excess of it will make the patty very soft and fragile. The oat flour was added to soak in the excess liquid and give enough strength to the patty, so I could shape it and fry it. This can be replaced with bread crumbs.

Next comes the coriander cashew sauce. Simplest sauce ever!! Soak cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Then drain and blend with chopped coriander and garlic. Squeeze some lime juice, add some salt and pepper. Done!!  There is literally no cooking involved here.

I made sliders instead of burgers, just coz they are so much fun to eat. You can make regular burgers with the same recipe, just adjust the quantities.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Beetroot and Cauliflower Burger - Burger made from beetroots and cauliflower served with an eggless mayo.
• Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich - Sandwich inspired by the Panera Bread sandwich of the same name.
• Breakfast Bruschetta Duo - Two bruschettas, one topped with avocado and olives and other with tomato and onions.
• Grilled Paneer Sandwich - Sandwich made with rye bread and grilled marinated paneer along with a home-made tartar sauce and lettuce.

Bean and Grilled Veggie Burger with Coriander Cashew Sauce

Bean and Grilled Veggie Burger with Coriander Cashew Sauce is a vegan burger with a patty made from grilled vegetables and red kidney beans and has a sauce made from coriander and cashews.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            International
Prep Time:     1 hour
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:                8

Ingredients:

Bean and Grilled Veggie Patty

3/4 cup Red Kidney Beans, cooked
1/2 cup Mixed Vegetables, chopped (Red Capsicum, Yellow Capsicum, Green Capsicum, Zucchini)
2 Onions
1/4 cup Cabbage, sliced (Optional)
2 tsp Garlic minced
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 cup Oat meal
2 tsp Olive Oil
4-5 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Coriander Cashew Sauce

18-20 Cashews
1 handful Coriander leaves
1-2 Garlic cloves
1 tsp Lime Juice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

To assemble the Bean Burger

8 Multigrain Slider Buns
1 large Tomato
1 Onion

Method:

Bean and Grilled Veggie Patty

To grill the vegetables, lay the chopped vegetables onto a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil on them. Sprinkle salt, mix well. Grill for 15-20 minutes until slightly charred.
Heat 3 tsp of Oil in a shallow pan and add slices onions. Saute until the onions have browned slightly. Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, add 1 tsp of Oil and saute the cabbage, (if you are using it) until it wilts slightly.
Grind the oatmeal to powder.
In a food processor or a mixer, add the beans, grilled veggies, garlic, sauteed onions and cabbage, read chilli powder, oat flour and salt. Pulse until the mixture sticks together but it still coarse.
Form 8 patties and keep aside.
Heat the remaining Oil in a small pan and add the patties one by one carefully. Do not crowd the pan and I suggest frying them in batches.
Flip the patty when one side browns. Cook until both the sides are brown and crispy.

Coriander Cashew Sauce

Soak the cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes.
Blend to a smooth paste along with the coriander, garlic and a little bit of water.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper. Mix well.
To assemble the burger, heat the burger buns and spread the cashew sauce on the lower bun.

To assemble the Bean Burger

Place the patty on the lower bun and top it up with sliced tomato and onions.
Add a big dollop of the cashew sauce and place the upper bun.
Serve hot.

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