AVAREKALU SARU

 

AVAREKALU SARU

Avarekalu  saru

Avarekalu  is known as hyacinth beans in English. It is a winter crop. During avrekai season people prepare avarekalu almost every day. Many types of dishes are prepared with avarekai. Avarekayi is known for its distinct aroma which is called in Kannada “sogadu”. Avarekai has taste and flavour of its own. Now a days  we do not   get “Sogadavarekai” . By the time it comes to the market while transporting  all its Sogadu would have gone. I have heard my grandmother saying in villages they used pluck avrekai in the garden, shell it then and there and put it in clean vessel containing water so that no sogadu is last. They used to add some tender pods also.

No need to add onion, garlic etc.; to enhance the taste. I like simple avarekalu saru which I am going to explain below.

Ingredients

SHELLED AVAREKALU

Shelled and cleaned fresh avarekalu: 4cups

Sarina pudi : 3 heaped spoon full

Method of preparing sarina pudi is here (https://puttuskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/07/mysore-sarinapudi-menasinapudi.html )

Salt: to taste

Curry leaves: 3 sprigs

Chopped coriander leaves: 3 teaspoons 

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tea spoon

Tamarind:  1 big lemon size. Pulp is extracted by soaking in hot water or 1 table spoon full of pre prepared tamarind paste .This depends on each ones taste

For masala to grind

FOR MASALA

Raw coriander seeds:  2 tsp.                                          

Raw cumin seeds: ½ tsp.

Cooked avre kalu:  1 small cup.

Grated coconut: 4 table spoons

Byadagi chillies:  3 to 4 numbers.  If you want spicier you can add more.

For seasoning

FOR SEASONING

Oil or ghee: 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds: ½tsp

Cumin seeds:  ½tsp

Curry leaves: a few sprigs

Asafoetida:   one pinch

 

Cook avarekalu in a pressure cooker with 6 cups of water, 1 teaspoon full of salt, turmeric powder, and sarinapudi.Cook for 10 minutes. Avare kalu takes more time to cook. If it is not cooked properly saru doesn’t taste good. Take out a small cup of cooked avrekai and allow it to cool.

Make a smooth paste with coriander seeds, cumin seeds red chillies and fresh coconut. Finally add cooked avarekalu and grind well.

 Add this paste to the rest of cooked avrekalu in the cooker mix well. Add salt according to your taste and tamarind paste and boil well. Adjust the consistency of saru by adding more water if needed.  Check if more salt is needed. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves and boil.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan.  Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and asafoetida. Allow it to splutter,add curry leaves and close the lid. Avarekalu saru is ready!