Avarekalu Rotti with Jawali kai kuttu palya

Avarekai also known as Lilva bean or Cow Beans is a winter speciality..Generally harvested before Sankranti festival, this bean is very flavorful with a unique texture. In many parts of Karnataka, this bean graces many dishes ranging from Sambhar , dal, Upma, dosas, rottis, curries and even sweets.

Here is an authentic Rice bread made exclusively with avarekai and scallions. It is very delicious and very simple to make.

To make the Avarekalu rotti you need:
1 cup boiled avarekai beans ( if you cannot find it, you can use lima beans or any other beans u like. If you find the dried beans, just dry roast them till they pop and boil them). Boil with 2 cups of water and do not strain the water.
1 bunch of spring onions/scallions chopped
1 cup chopped dhania leaves/cilantro
2 medium red onions chopped
2 cups rice flour
1cup very sour yogurt
Green chilies –6-7
Red chilly flakes (optional)
Hing- 1tsp
1tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Grated coconut (1/2 cup)

Method: Mix all the dry ingredients first and then add all the vegetables and coconut. Finally add yogurt and mix into a chapatti like soft dough. Cover and let it sit for 15mins. Now take a flat pan and smear with oil so that it wont stick. Also rub oil on ur finger tips, take a big orange sized ball of dough and spread on the flat pan gently with ur fingers so that it is equally spread in all directions. Spread it as thin as possible. On a medium flame roast this so that it cooks well. Add a tsp of oil around. Once golden spots begin to appear, Take it off from the stove and serve with a dollop of butter/ghee and any playa you like.

Cluster beans/Jawali kai kuttu playa Typically Rotti is served with this authentic Palya which is very healthy and delicious..This dish can be made both dry as well as a gravy version.

You need:
2 cups of cleaned jawali kai/chikkadikai/cluster beans

Grind together
with ¼ cup water
1tsps besan
½ cup coconut
1 tsp jeera
A pinch o hing
4-5 green chillies
Seasoning: 1tbsp oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves

Method: Typically kuttu playa is made by pounding the raw beans till its broken and mushy. But we can drop it in a mixer or a food processor and pulse it for a few secons to do the same process. Microwave this mixture for 7mins with very little water till the beans are cooked

Take a Kadai and add all the seasonins in the oil. Now add the ground paste and fry for 3-4mins till all the besan cooks well. If you need a gravy version you can add water at this point or else, add the cooked mushy beans, add salt and mix well for 2-3minutes and serve. This can also be eaten with rice or chapatti.

Udupi Dhania Sambhar with Chutney Palya

This is a very delicious and a simple vegetable udupi sambhar. When you need something comforting & are bored of using your regular sambhar powders, this is a sweet surprise.

Chutney palya is a very easy and nutritious palya which can be prepared in a few minutes. This goes well with sambhar and rice..

For Dhania Udupi Sambhar:
2 cups mixed vegetables
1 cup toor dal
To grind
2tsp regular sambhar powder (use whatever u have on hand, I have used MTR sambhar powder)
2tbsp coriender seeds ( do not roast)
1tbsp fresh grated coconut
1/4tsp hing
Grind everything to a paste using water.

2tsp tamarind paste ( or 1tsp tamarind date chutney)
salt
optional: 1tsp of coconut oil
Method:
Pressure cook dal with vegetables adding a pinch of turmeric with3cups water. In a kadai, add seasoning using a tsp of oil, 1tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of hing and a sprig of curry leaves. To this add the cooked vegetable dal mixture and mix well. Now add the ground paste, salt and a tsp of tamarind date chutney. I have used this since I like the sambhar a little sweet. This is entirely opitional. Bring it to a boil..Switch off the stove. Now add a tsp of coconut oil and mix well..
Enjoy this Udupi sambhar with steaming rice..

Chutney Palya
This is an extremely simple palya loaded with nutrition and a 2minute affair..To make this you need..
1package --cole slaw mix ( you can also shred cabbage, radish and carrot separately and mix them for this)
1tsp chutney powder ( you may use rasam powder if u like)
1/2 tsp dhania powder
seasoning
Method:
In a kadai, heat a tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds, 1tsp urad dal and a tsp of channa dal. Fry till they turn red. In a boil take 1/4cup of water and mix the chutney powder and coriender powder to this. Now add this paste to the seasoning and mix well. Add salt and mix. Now add the shredded veggies and mix well till it is well coated.
Cover the kadai with a lid and in a medium flame cook for 3mins. Remove the lid, add fresh grated coconut and mix well..
This goes well with rice or chapati..

Mysore Thali..

A typical Mysore thali consists of many many delicious mouth watering items.. Here is one simple Thali where the common ingredient is Green gram dal or Hesarable which incorporates one salad, one vegetable, a rice item, dal and a dessert.. Most of these dishes are made everyday almost in any South Indian home. Nevertheless, for the benefit of those who are beginning to cook, here is how you make…

Carrot Kosambari

This is very simple and nutritious dish..

You need:
1 cup grated fresh carrots
½ cup green gram dal/hesarabele (soaked for 20mins till they plump up)
2tbps-fresh grated coconut (optional)

To season
1tsp oil, a pinch of hing, 1tsp mustard, 1 chopped green chillie, 1tsp urad dal, 1tsp channa dal

Salt to taste
Juice of a lime

Method:
Mix drained soaked hesarabele with grated carrot and coconut. Heat a tsp of oil and add all the tempering ingrediants. Mix it with the carrot mixture. Add lime juice and keep it aside for 5mins. Just before serving add salt and serve..


Cabbage playa

You need:

2cups chopped/grated cabbage
2tbsps soaked green gram dal (soak for 10mins)
2tbsps coconut optional
Salt

To season
1tbsp oil, a pinch of hing, 1tsp mustard, 1 chopped green chillie, 1tsp urad dal, 1tsp channa dal

Method:

In a thick bottom pan, heat oil and temper with hing mustard seeds, chillies, and dals. Make sure they don’t burn. To this add the chopped cabbage mix well. Now add the soaked dal and sprinkle a hand full of water. Close a lid and in a medium flame let the vegetable cook. Cabbage leaves out lots of water and the dal gets cooked in this water. Once cabbage has cooked, which usually takes 6-7 minutes, add coconut and mix well. Again add salt just before serving to retain crispy playa..

Hesarable thovve/Green gram dal

Among all the dals, I love this dal the most. It gives out a unique flavour. To get the most of this dal, do not overcook hesarable. The grain should be soft and separated but not like a paste..

You need:

1cup hesarable (dry roast this with a tsp of ghee)
1 ¼ cup of water
1 green cucumber deskinned and chopped
1/2cup chopped coriander
Juice of a lime
Salt to taste

To season
1tbsp oil, a pinch of hing, 1tsp mustard, 1 chopped green chillie, 1tsp urad dal, 1tsp channa dal

Method:

Pressure cook the dal until it is soft but not mushy. In a pan, add the seasonings, add the cucumber and mix well. Close the lid for 5-6 minutes till the cucumber is soft. Now add the cooked dal, coriander leaves, juice of a lime and salt to taste and mix everything well. This goes very well with hot rice and ghee..

Hesarabele chitranna

You need:

2 cups cooked rice

Roaste: 1tsps hesarabele, 1tsp jeera, hing.. till it leaves out nice aroma. Grind everything with ½ cup of grated fresh coconut and green chillies..

Method:
In a pan, add 2tbsps oil, Add mustard, dals for seasoning, dried red chillies and a few peanuts and mix for 2minutes. To this add the groundpaste, a pinch of turmeric and mix well till the oil separates. Cool the mixture and mix with rice. Add salt and lime juice and enjoy…