Vaala Che Birdhe

This is basically a curry made of field beans or kadwe vaal.

Ingredients

• 1 cup field beans or kadwe vaal
• 1 tsp cumin or jeera seeds
• 1 tsp mustard or rai seeds
• A dash of asafetida or hing
• 1 tsp turmeric or haldi powder
• 1 medium-sized onion
• Red chilly powder as desired
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 twig of curry leaves
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder
• ¼ cup freshly grated coconut
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ cup green coriander or cilantro leaves
• 2 kokum or 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak the field beans in plenty of water for two days. Next day, drain out the water and securely tie the field beans in a tight muslin cloth. Keep it moist and place it in warm place until they sprout. Once they sprout, soak the field beans in tepid water. The skin of the beans will start becoming loose. After a while, peel off the skin from the beans.

Wash the beans and drain out all water.

Marinate the field beans with ginger-garlic paste, half a tablespoon of coriander-cumin powder and keep aside.

Also chop up the onion and the coriander leaves and keep aside

Place a deep-bottomed pot on the burner and add oil, mustard, cumin, curry leaves and asafetida. Let it splutter for a few moments. Add the chopped onion and sauté it for a while, until the onion becomes translucent. Add turmeric and red chilly powder and give it a quick stir.

Add the marinated field beans and stir it gently, making sure that the bean sprouts are not damaged. Add some water and cover the utensil with a lid. Check intermittently until field beans are tender.

Now add salt, jaggery and kokum, the remaining coriander-cumin powder and let it simmer. After two minutes, add coconut milk and give it a rapid boil, making sure not to overcook the beans. Switch off the heat. Garnish with coriander and grated coconut.