Hitikida Avarekalu Mutton Saaru/ Pressed Hyacinth Beans & Mutton Curry

Avarekalu is the name for Hyacinth Beans in kannada also knows as surti papdi in hindi, mochakottai in tamil. Winter is the season of avarekalu in bangalore and you can see each house having a dish made out of it. It is added in many of the dishes like upma, pulao, vangibath, sambar(avarekal huli), kurma, curry(avarekal saaru), lemon rice, salad(avarekal usli) etc.

Outer peel of the seed is taken by soaking avarekal in water overnight and pressed between the fingers. This form is called hitikida avarebele which means "pressed" hyacinth beans. It is added in akki roti(rice flour roti), mutton curry, savouries(avarekal Mixture), etc. These are few recipes made in most of the homes in karnataka. There are lot more recipe you can find in Avarekal Mela held every year in Bangalore during the season.

Here is a recipe of authentic Mutton curry of Karnataka with Hitikida avarekalu. You can prepare this curry with mutton alone if it is off-season or if it is not available in your region. And Vegetarians can follow the same recipe by skipping meat & adding brinjal and potato along with Hitikida Avarekalu. This curry is served with steamed rice, chapati, dosa, idli and ragi ball.

Ingredients :

• Mutton - 250 gms
• Hitikida Avarekalu - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 medium-sized
• Garlic - 5 pods
• Tomato - 1 large
• Masala Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp+1 tsp
• For Grinding :
• Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Onion - 1 medium-sized
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic - 5 pods
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Clove - 4
• Coriander - 5 sprig

Method :

For Coconut Masala :

• In a pressure cooker heat 1 tsp oil. Add roughly chopped onion and fry till golden. Take the fried onion along with other ingredients for grinding in a mixer jar and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside until use.

For the curry :

• Wash mutton and keep aside. Finely chop onion and slightly crush garlic pods.
• In the same pressure cooker heat 2 tbsp oil. Add finely chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add crushed garlic and fry for a minute.
• Add drained mutton and fry till color changes. Add enough water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till mutton is tender. Allow the pressure cooker to cool by itself. 
• Open the lid and add salt and masala powder (equal amount of chili powder and coriander powder with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder). Let it boil for 5 minutes.

• Add hitikida avarekal, chopped tomato and give a stir. 

• Add grinded coconut masala and required amount of water as per required consistency. (curry thickens during cooking and when it cools down)

• Check for seasoning and allow it to boil till avarekalu is cooked and oil floats on top.

• Serve hot to compliment steamed rice, chapati, idli, dosa or ragi ball.

Variations :

For vegetarians : Season with onion and garlic. Add chopped potato, water, salt and masala powder. When potato is half cooked add hitikida avarekalu, tomato, brinjal and coconut masala. Let it boil till the veggies are cooked.