Pachai Mochai Kuzhambu (Field Beans Gravy)

Though I may try fancy recipes from time to time, eat local and seasonal has always been my slogan. When it is carrot season I make my Gajar Halwa and during the Grape season my Grape conserve. Homemade  is always a better option and the pandemic has taught us just that. 

In south India December to February and specially the time around the harvest festival Pongal, is the season for Field Beans or Mocha Kottai as it is called in Tamil Nadu. These beans are used in the Pongal Kuzhambu that is made on the day of the Pongal festival, where in a Kuzhambu or Sambar is made with all the freshly harvested vegetables, which includes tubers, green vegetables and legumes likes the Field Beans.

I usually make this recipe in the Chettinad style where a the beans are cooked in a tangy gravy with garlic and coconut paste. This time however, I have tried it out in a different style which tasted very good and was an instant hit in my house. I added some Potatoes too and it turned out like a two in one curry, one that can go with rice as well as with Paratha, chapati etc. The vessel just went empty. In my house when the vessel goes empty and nothing remains for dinner, it means the dish was super good????, and here comes this dish called the Pachai(fresh) Mochai Kuzhambu with a different gravy.

While you are here checkout my other recipes like Pachai Sundakkai Kuzhambu, Bonda Morkuzhambu, Vatha Kuzhambu, Parupu Urundai Kuzhambu and more…

Here is the recipe for Pachai Mochai Kuzhambu for you-

PREP TIME: 20 MINS                                 COOK TIME:15 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINS                                COURSE: MAIN 

CUISINE:INDIAN                                         SERVINGS: 4

AUTHOR: RAJNI RAM

    Ingredients:

    Pachai Mochai Kottai (fresh Field Beans) 200 gm (pressured cooked for 5 whistles)

    Onion 1 roughly chopped

    Tomatoes 2 roughly chopped

    Potato 1 large diced

    Sambar Powder 1 tbsp. (refer notes)

    Red chilli powder 1 tsp

    Tamarind gooseberry sized ball pulp extracted 

    Jaggery a small bit 

    To be roasted and ground:

    Peanuts 2 tbsp.

    Dry red chillies 3 large ones

    Fennel 1 tsp

    Poppy seeds/Khus khus 1 tsp

    Coconut 2 tbsp

    To temper:

    Oil 1 tbsp

    Mustard seeds 1 tsp

    Mustard seeds a pinch

    Chana dal 2 tsp

    Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

    Dry red chilli 1 broken

    Curry leaves a few

   Directions:

In a big Kadai/pan put the oil and heat. Add all ingredients mentioned under “to temper”. When the mustard seeds begin to pop add the onion and sauté. When the onions start turning a light brown, add the potatoes and continue to sauté for a minute or two. Now add the chopped tomatoes, followed by salt, Sambar powder, red chilli powder, and the cooked Mocha Kottai(field beans). Mix nicely and let it cook for 2 minutes. Now pour the tamarind extract and let the potatoes cook. Keep the flame low. In the meanwhile take a small kadai and add 1 tsp oil and roast all ingredients mentioned under “to be roast and ground”. Start by adding the groundnuts first, followed by coconut, dry red chilli, fennel seeds and poppy seeds, Roast until the coconut starts turning a light brown in colour. Cool and grind to a smooth paste adding a little water. The potatoes must have cooked by now. Check for doneness of potatoes and add the ground paste and mix well. Dilute adding 2 cups water and continue to cook. The gravy will come together and the consistency will thicken. Add a small bit of jaggery and stir and put off the flame. The delicious Pachai Mochai Kuzhambu is ready to serve. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.  

    STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. In a big Kadai/pan put the oil and heat. Add all ingredients mentioned under “to temper”. When the mustard seeds begin to pop add the onion and sauté. 

2. When the onions start turning a light brown add the potatoes and continue to sauté for a minute or two. Now add the chopped tomatoes, followed by salt, Sambar powder, red chilli powder, and the cooked Mocha Kottai(field beans).  Mix nicely and let it cook for 2 minutes.  

3. Now pour the tamarind extract and let the potatoes cook. In the meanwhile take a small kadai and add 1 tsp oil and roast all ingredients mentioned under “to be roast and ground”. Start by adding the groundnuts first, followed by coconut, dry red chilli, fennel seeds and poppy seeds, Roast until the coconut starts turning a light brown in colour. Cool and grind to a smooth paste adding a little water. 

4. The potatoes must have cooked by now. Add the ground paste and mix well. Dilute adding 2 cups water and continue to cook. The gravy will come together and the consistency will thicken. Add a small bit of jaggery and stir and put off the flame. The delicious Pachai Mochai Kuzhambu is ready to serve.

NOTES:

1. I used homemade sambar powder as that really enhances the taste of the dish. However, store bought one also can be used. Foe the recipe of homemade sambar powder click here.

2. The use of jaggery is to cut down the gassiness of the peanuts, as some people cannot digest it. I recommend adding it though adding jaggery is not compulsory.

3. Take care not to overcook the Beans, at the same time they must be cooked well.

4. If you have roasted peanuts that too can be added, then only the coconut, chillies, fennel and poppy seeds need to be roasted.

5. This recipe can be followed for any fresh beans(seeds) variety. When the fresh Mochai are not available, the dry ones are sold. They can be soaked, cooked and the same recipe can be followed.

Beans Paruppu Usli

Paruppu Usli is a South Indian(Tamilian) dish made by crumbling dal. The crumbled dal is then added to cooked vegetables. A wide variety of vegetables like Banana flowers, Cabbage, Capsicum, Radish greens, and Beans can be added to the Usli.

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                     COOK TIME: 20 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 40 Mins                                  COURSE:  MAIN

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                           SERVINGS: 4

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

 

Ingredients:

French Beans 250 gms chopped fine.

Carrot 1 (just for colour)

Chana dal 1cup soaked for 1/2 an hour

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Dry red chillies 3

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder

Curry leaves a few finely chopped

Oil(refined) for crumbling the dal 2tbsp

Directions:

Chop the French Beans, and carrot and add some salt and turmeric powder and cook them in sufficient water. When you can crush the Beans-carrot between your index and thumb finger, stop cooking. Drain the water and cool. Now put the soaked Chana dal after draining out the water in a blender, add the dry red chillies, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida and grind to a coarse paste. Add very little water to grind. Now take oil in a heavy-bottomed Karahi(preferably NOT nonstick) and heat. Add the finely chopped curry leaves and pour the dal mixture into karahi immediately. Start scrambling the dal. A Dosa flipper works best for this while you are scrambling the dal, keep breaking the bigger lumps for them to crumble further. The finer you are able to crumble the better. This takes between 10 to 15 minutes. Once you have fully crumbled the dal it should look like a coarse powder. Transfer the crumbled dal to another vessel from the karahi. Now add the cooked Beans-Carrot to the Karahi and start evaporating any remaining moisture in it, by sautéing it well. When there is no more moisture in the Beans add the crumbled dal mixture to the Beans-Carrot and mix well. Check for salt and adjust if required. The yummy Beans Usli is now ready to serve. Serve it with some Vatha Kuzhambu rice, Rasam rice or More Kozhambu rice. I love it with Rotis too. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

 

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Chop and cook the Beans and Carrot( take care, not to overcook)and soak the Chana dal for 1/2 an hour.

 

2. Now in a blender put the soaked Chana dal after draining the water, the cumin seeds, dry red chillies, turmeric and asafoetida and grind to a coarse paste. Add as little water as possible.

 

3. Take a Karahi and pour in oil around 2 tablespoons and heat. Add the chopped curry leaves to the oil and add the ground Chana dal mixture.

 

4. Start scrambling the mixture using a Dosa flipper( makes the process easier). Keep breaking the bigger lumps into smaller ones and crumble the mixture. It should start becoming dry. By the end of the crumbling procedure, the dal should look like a coarse powder. This takes 10 to 15 minutes and some patience. Flame to be medium to low throughout.

 A quick video to show you how to crumble the dal????

 

 

5. Once the dal is crumbled, transfer it from the Karahi to another vessel. In the same karahi put in the cooked Beans and Carrot and evaporate any remaining moisture. 

 

6. Once the vegetables become dry add the crumbled dal to them and stir. Mix them nicely so that the vegetables and dal are well combined. The Beans Paruppu Usli is now ready to serve.

 

NOTES:

1. The dal has to soak at least for half an hour. 

2. I have not tempered the Usli while or after making it, anyway no harm in tempering too.

3. The vegetable should be nicely stir-fried and all water evaporated before adding the dal crumble because if there is any moisture it will all turn lumpy.

4. Instead of Beans, any other vegetable given above can also be used. The crumble procedure will be the same.

 

If you tried this recipe and liked it then please comment below. I would love to hear from you.