3 PITHIKKINA PAPPU KURA

Split Hyacinth beans/ split fresh field beans/ Pithikkina anavapappu / green mochai


Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal/Sankranthi.

My mom gave me a list of all the things to prepare on Pongal/sankranthi festival and on that it included this curry and one of my favourite...This curry goes well with rice and mainly with delicious dosas and also chapathis, upma and ragi balls.
To make this curry we need.


Green mochai/field beans/Avarakkai seeds/Anavapappu/Avarekaalu - 2 cups
Potato(optional) - 2 small
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 2 medium
Green chillies -2 or 3
Garlic - 3 or 4 pods
Ginger - one inch piece
Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 1 cup grated
Dhaniya/coriander powder - 3/4 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Cilantro leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt as needed
Oil 2 -3 tbsp

Soak the seeds in water for 4 or 5 hours and press each seed to remove the skin. I know it is little work..but the curry tastes awesome. I have seen my neighbours press the seeds in both hands and reduce the wrok time. It is all with practice. Peel potatoes and chop them into thick cubes and immerse in water until needed( using potatoes is optional only to get extra gravy or qty). Chop onion and tomato into thick pieces.


To make paste 1 :-

Heat oil in a kadai and fry onions till they are transparent..then add green chillies, ginger and garlic ...saute for 2 minutes and add tomatoes...mash to cook till pulpy ...remove and allow it to cool and grind in a mixer to a smooth paste.

To make paste 2 :-

Heat a tbsp of oil in a kadai and add poppy seeds and fennel seeds(optional) and saute..immediately add grated coconut and dhaniya/coriander powder...switch off flame and fry for a minute...remove...cool and grind in a mixer to a fine paste.

Transfer the skinless seeds in a thick container/pan along with diced potatoes and cook till they are 3/4 th cooked...then firstly add paste 1 ( onion, tomato...) and allow it to cook for 5 to 8 minutes...next add paste 2 ( coconut...) ,sambar powder and salt and allow everything to cook for another 8 to 10 minutes(until raw semll leaves) and then remove. Heat a tsp of oil in a kadai/small pan for tempering and add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves..when they splutter up..pour it on the curry.
I simply love this dish and I miss Bangalore in this season.