Avarekalu sagu is a creamy delicious gravy made with fresh butter beans from Karnataka cuisine. these beans are also called as mochai in tamil language, pavta in marathi language and surti lilva in Gujarati language.
2 medium potatoes- chopped in large pieces (optional)
¾ to 1 cup skinned avarekalu, butter beans, surti lilva, pavta, mochai
1 cupwater
salt as required
for green masala paste:
¼ cup grated fresh coconut
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
1 inch ginger- chopped
2 green chilies- chopped
1 tablespoon roasted chana dal
1 tablespoon coriander seeds(sabut dhania)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds(jeera)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 inch cinnamon(dalchini)
1 green cardamom
2 cloves(lavang)
¼ to ⅓ cupwater for grinding
other ingredients:
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leavesfor garnish
to be served with:
1 small lemon, chopped
Instructions
skinning beans (avarekalu):
Soak 1.25 to 1.5 cups shelled beans (avarekalu) in enough water for a couple of hours. Or you can soak them overnight in the fridge.
Later drain all the water.
Remove the outer sheath or cover from the beans (avarekalu). Just lightly press the avarekalu and the outer cover comes out easily.
Do this with all the beans. Its a minute work.
Remove the outer husks in a separate plate and then discard them. You will need ¾ to 1 cup of the skinned beans.
pressure cooking beans (avarekalu):
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 litre pressure cooker. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Keep flame to a low. Then add 8 to 10 curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Stir and mix.
Then add ¾ to 1 cup avarekalu. Also add 2 medium potatoes, chopped in large pieces. mix well.
Then add 1 cup water and season with salt as required.
Pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles on medium flame or for 5 to 6 minutes on medium flame.
making green masala paste:
In a grinder jar, take all the ingredients mentioned under the list "for green masala paste"
Grind to a smooth fine paste. Keep aside.
making avarekalu sagu:
When the pressure in the cooker falls down on its own, open the lid of the cooker.
Add the ground green masala paste.
Mix very well and keep the cooker on stove top on a low to medium-low flame.
Simmer avarekalu sagu gravy for 8 to 10 minutes stirring at intervals. If the gravy becomes thick, then you can add some more water. When cooking the sagu gravy will become more thick.
Garnish avarekalu sagu with some chopped coriander leaves.
Also sprinkle some lemon juice on top. Or you can serve lemon wedges as a side when serving this butter beans curry. Some sour hints really enhances the taste of hitikida avarekalu sagu. Serve with chapatis or pooris.