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.

Potato Carrot curry - Poori curry

Potato Carrot Curry is andhra style curry usually served as an accompaniment with poori. Its a twist to the Bombay potato sagu posted earlier where in potato is pre-cooked and green chili is the only spice element. In this recipe potato and carrot are cooked with the onion-tomato mix and masala powders. Cooking potato and carrot with the masala gives a different texture and taste to the curry. This curry also goes well with rotis, phulkas, rava idli, set dosa.

Ingredients :

• Potatoes - 2 
• Carrot - 1
• Onion - 2 medium-sized
• Tomato - 2 medium-sized
• Ginger - 1 tsp finely chopped
• Green chili - 2
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Tumeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Masala Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Besan (Gram Flour) - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :

• Peel potatoes and carrot. Wash and chop them into small cubes.
• Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot enough add jeera, urad dal and fry till they are golden color.

• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, slit green chilies, chopped ginger and fry till raw smell of ginger goes away.

• Add turmeric and mix. Add chopped onions and fry till they are translucent.

• Add chopped potatoes, carrots, salt and saute for a minute.

• Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they are soft.

• Add masala powder, garam masala and saute for a minute. (Masala Powder is equal amount of chili powder and coriander powder. Add 1/2 tsp each).

• Add water and cook covered on medium flame till the vegetables are cooked approximately for 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile in a bowl take besan, add 1/4 cup water and make a smooth paste with out lumps.

• When the vegetables are cooked, add besan paste and mix well. 

• Let it come to boil and raw smell of besan should disappear.

• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Give a stir and switch off the flame.

• Potato and carrot curry is ready to be served.

Tips & Variations :

• Pre-cooking potatoes and carrots and then adding them to the curry gives a different texture. You would lose the starch from the potatoes if they are pre-cooked which will give a different taste and texture. So I would recommend to cook the veggies together in onion-tomato mix.
• You can skip carrot. Or even add fresh or frozen green peas along with potato.

Mixed Vegetable Sagu

Mixed Vegetable Sagu / Kuruma is a popular and traditional combination for breakfast varieties like Set Dosa, Poori, Rava Idli, Chapathi/ Roti, Ghee Rice. Mixed Veg Sagu is must have side-dish served in most of the hotels in Karnataka. Combination of veggies like beans, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, green peas, potato, knol khol( gedde kosu), chow-chow ( semme badane kai) are cooked in spices and coconut.

Ingredients :

• Chopped Mixed Vegetable - approx. 4 cups
• Onion - 1 medium-sized
• Tomato - 2 medium-sized
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• For Grinding :
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 small
• Green chili - 4
• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic - 5 to 6 cloves
• Clove - 3
• Cinnamon - 1 stick
• Coriander - fist full

Method :

• For Grinding : 
• In a pan heat oil and fry roughly chopped onion and green chili.
• Once it cools down transfer to a mixer jar along with other ingredients mentioned for grinding except coriander leaves. 
• Add required amount of water and grind it to a fine paste.
• At last add coriander leaves and grind for half minute. Set aside.
• In the same heat oil and fry finely chopped onions till they are translucent.
• Add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil.
• Add chopped vegetable one-by-one starting with the vegetable which takes more time to cook. Ex : Knol khol followed by beans, chow-chow, potato, carrot, green peas, cauliflower and finally cabbage). 
• Add hot water if it evaporates during the process of cooking vegetables.
• Once the vegetables are almost cooked add chopped tomatoes, salt and coconut paste.
• Add water if its very thick and let it boil till all the veggies and spices get combined well and oil oozes out.
• Serve hot with any of your breakfast varieties.

Pumpkin Sambar

Ingredients :

• Pumpkin - 2 cups (cubed pieces)
• Toor Dal - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 small
• Pearl Onions - 15
• Tomato - 2 medium
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp
• Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp
• Mustard - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method :

• Wash and pressure cook toor dal for 3-4 whistles or till it is cooked well.
• In a pan heat oil. Add in mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Add chopped onion, whole pearl onions and curry leaves. Saute till onions are transparent.
• Add in cubed pumpkin pieces and saute. Add water and allow cook the pumpkin until half done. (Do not over cook as the pumpkin would get smashed by the end of cooking).
• Add chopped tomatoes, tamarind paste, sambar powder, jaggery, salt and cook till tomatoes are soft and raw flavor of tamarind goes away. 
• Add cooked dal along with required amount of water and allow it boil for 5-6 mins on medium flame.
• Serve hot with steamed rice. It goes well with idli too.

Variation :

• In the same process you can make sambar with any vegetables (Drumstick, Brinjal, Raddish, potato, beans, carrot, pearl onion) or combination of them. 
• As pumpkin has sweetish taste, jaggery is added to give sweet taste for the sambar. Skip adding jaggery while preparing sambar with other veggies.

Bombay Potato Sagu

Bombay Sagu is a semi-liquid version of potato palya. It is the most common dish served in all restaurants along with Poori, Rava Idli, Set/ Kal dosa and Chapathi. 

Serves 4-5 person

Ingredients :

• Potato - 4 medium sized
• Onion - 3 medium sized
• Tomato - 2 medium sized
• Mustard - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Green Chili - 3
• Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Besan / Gram Flour - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste 
• Coriander for garnishing

Method :

• Wash and pressure cook potatoes until mushy for 3-4 whistles. Let it cool down. Peel the skin, mash/chop them and keep it aside.
• In a pan/kadai heat oil. Add in mustard seeds. When it pops, add in chana dal, urad dal and fry till golden brown.
• Add in sliced/chopped onions, slit green chilies, curry leaves and saute till onions are translucent. 

• Add in turmeric powder and saute. Add chopped tomatoes and saute until they are soft. 

• Meanwhile in a bowl take besan, add water and mix such that there are no lumps.
• Add in mashed potatoes and salt and give a stir. 

• Now add besan paste and required amount of water. Cook it on medium flame stirring in intervals.

• When it comes to a boil. Switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Bombay potato sagu is ready to be served as a side dish for Rava Idli, Set/ Kal Dosa, Poori and Chapathi.

Chettinad Pepper chicken Masala

Chettinad Pepper Chicken Masala is a quick, spicy & aromatic chicken gravy. This gravy is peppery and flavorful which is a treat for spice lovers.
Marinated chicken pieces with dry spices is cooked in onion-tomato and curd gravy seasoned with dry spices and lots of pepper powder. It makes a great combination with parotta, chapati, roti, steamed rice and mildly flavored rice such as Jeera Rice.

Ingredients :

• Chicken - 300 gms
• Onion - 2
• Tomato -2
• Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder -  1/2 tsp + 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Thick Youghurt - 1/4 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves for garnishing.
• For Marination :
• Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp or juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• For Tempering :
• Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
• Saunf -1/4 tsp
• Clove - 2
• Cinnamon - 1/2 " piece
• Mustard - 1/4 tsp 

Method :

• Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with ingredients listed under for marination for 30 mins.

•  In a pan heat oil. Temper with ingredients listed under tempering. When it splutters add finely chopped onions. Saute till golden brown. Add ginger-galic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and 1/2 tsp pepper powder. Saute till raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.

• Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it becomes soft. Add 1/2 cup water and cook with lid for 6-7 mins or till oil separates. Stir in between.

• Add marinated chicken pieces and saute it well. Add required amount of salt. Remember we had added salt even to the chicken pieces. Add thick curd and mix well. Cover with lid and let chicken cook on medium flame for 10 to 15 mins. Keep stirring once in a while so that masala don't stick to bottom.

• When the chicken is cooked adjust for salt. Add garam masala powder and 1 tbsp pepper powder or freshly crushed pepper. Mix well and sprinkle coriander leaves. Switch off the flame.

•  Chettinad Pepper Chicken Masala is ready to be served hot with chapathi, parotta, roti or steamed rice.

Fish Curry/ Fish Pulusu

Fish Curry/ Fish Pulusu is a spicy-tangy curry, traditionally made in mud pot. This tangy fish curry is made up of onions and tomatoes roasted in spice powders with tamarind as main ingredient to add more tanginess to the curry. It tastes better after few hours or the next day as all the flavours get in to the fish very well. So plan and cook it in advance. Lets jump into the fish curry recipe.
 

Ingredients :

• Fish Slices - 500 gms 
• Onion - 3 medium sized
• Tomato - 2 medium sized
• Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Green Chili - 2
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprig
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Methi Seeds - 6 to 7
• Tamarind handful
• Masala Powder - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 3/4 cup
• Water as needed
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation:

• Clean the fish slices and drain excess water. Here I have used single-boned Sheela fish, known as Anjal in Bangalore.
• Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes and extract the pulp. Strain through a strainer and discard any residue. 

Method :

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai. When hot enough add mustard seeds. When it crackles add methi seeds. 

• Then add curry leaves and let it splutter.

• Add chopped onion and slit green chilies. Saute till translucent.

• Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes away.

• Add chopped tomatoes and saute till tomatoes are mushy and oil oozes out.

• Add in all the dry spice powders and salt. Mix well and saute for a minute.

•  Add strained tamarind extract and let it come to a boil.

•  Add required amount of water for your desired consistency. Its the time to check spices, salt, tanginess and adjust according to your taste. Let it boil.

•  Once the curry is boiling and oil floats on top, add in the fish pieces gently. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Flip the fish pieces one by one and let it cook for another 5 minutes or till the fish is cooked well. Do not over mix after adding fish as it would tend to break.

•  Finally sprinkle chopped coriander and stir once.

•  Tangy and spicy Fish Curry/ Pulusu is ready to be served hot with steamed rice, idli or dosa.