Cluster Beans (Gawar) daal curry

This is one of the favorite dishes in our household. My husband made it for dinner last night and I decided to adapt it into this blog. We had it with Rotis and Rice accompanied with Garlic Rasam. Another version of this curry is posted by Indira of Mahanadi as Parappu Usli With Gawar Beans. We also make this curry with toor daal instead of channa daal and red chillies instead of green chillies for variety.

Ingredients:
2 cups of Cluster beans stringed and cut into small pieces
1 cup channa daal
Green chillies (approximately 10)
Asefotedia
2 tablespoons grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons oil
8 curry leaves
Salt
Water for cooking beans and grinding the masala

Garnish:
1 tablespoon fine chopped coriander leaves
2 tablespoons of lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
2 tablespoons grated coconut

Method:
Cook the cluster beans with salt until done.
Soak channa daal for 20 minutes in hot water. Grind it with 2 tablespoons of coconut, green chillies, curry leaves,asefotedia and salt. Make sure the mixture is thick in consistency not dilute.

In a thick bottom vessel, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot - add 1/2 teaspoon mustard. After the mustard splutters, add the ground mixture and fry it until it gets cooked. Add the cooked and drained cluster beans and mix it. Mix the curry on medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Garnish with 1 tablespoon fine chopped coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons of lime juice (about 1/2 lime) and 2 tablespoons grated coconut.

Ridge Gourd Pepper Gravy (Kootu)

I usually make this dish when someone in the house has cold or cough. Pepper helps as an expectorant. Its a very simple recipe. Can also be made with any type of beans.

Ingredients:
1 medium sized ridge gourd peeled and cubed
1.5 cups cooked and mashed toor daal
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tablespoon urad daal
1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns
1 tablespoon coconut
few curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon ghee
asefotedia
1/2 teaspoon cummin

Method: Roast urad daal, black pepper, cummin, curry leaves and asefotedia in ghee until urad daal turns light brown and pepper corns splutter. Grind the roasted ingredients with coconut and keep it aside. (Water can be added to grind to a smooth paste)

In a vessel, cook peanuts and ridge gourd with some water. When the gourd and peanuts are almost cooked, add toor daal and the ground mixture. Add salt as per taste and bring the gravy to a boil. Garnish with fresh curry leaves. Serve with rice or chapathi.