Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Kadve Valache Birdhe ( Bitter Broad Fields Beans Gravy

Kadve Valache Birdhe ( Bitter Broad  Fields Beans Gravy )


Ingredients

1. Vaal - 2 Cups, soaked, sprouted, peeled
2. Garlic Cloves – 3- 4 with skin
3. Asafoetida a tiny pinch
4. Red onion – one small finely chopped
5. Dried Kokum – 2-3 or tamarind paste 1tsp
6. 1/2 tsp Jaggery
7. Mustard Seeds -1 tiny pinch
8. Cumin/Jeera- 1 small pinch
9. Oil – 1 and 1/2 large tbsp
10. Red Chilli Powder -1 tsp
11. Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
12. Coriander powder -1 tsp
13. Cumin powder – 1 tsp
14. Fresh Coriander finely chopped to garnish – half of bunch
15. 3-4 heaped tbsp grated coconut paste made by running through a mixer fresh grated coconut or frozen coconut with 1 green chilli , whole jeere and 2 cloves of garlic.
16. Salt as per taste

Method

Soak the Vaal overnight, change the water in the morning and by evening if they appear puffed then wrap them in a damp cloth and set aside in a vessel with a lid to create an environment warm enough to allow them to sprout
Remove sprouted vaal into a bowl and pour like warm water on them,stir with your palms to loosen the skin and many will float to the top,decant the water and remove all the rest of the skins and discard .

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add some asafoetida , mustard and cumin.
When the cumin seeds begin to pop, put in the garlic with their skin on and smashed to flatten them and as they turn colour and release their aroma,add the chopped onion.
When the onion turns a delicate pink add turmeric powder,red chilli powder and then add the vaal/field beans.
Now add the turmeric,red chilli,coriander and cumin powders and quickly stir in enough water to cover the beans.
On a low flame cook with lid.
When the vaal is almost done,add the jaggery,coconut paste and the tamarind paste or dried kokum and when the vaal are done add salt and garnish with finely chopped coriander.
The logic of adding salt towards the very end is so that it does not interfere with the rest of the spices as they pack a punch into the beans while they cook and also salt can hasten the cook time for the vaal which is not ideal as the full strength of all the flavours steeping into the curry will not happen.
Kadve Valache Birdhe is ready to serve with steamed rice , chapati.


Note

Kadve or Kadu vaal are used in Maharashtrian cuisine. They are also known as bitter field beans. They have a delicate, bitter taste which is considered as a delicacy. Of course, there are people who also can't stand this taste at all. This is a little unusual process of sprouting these vaals . I have never seen these kind of vaals in the local Indian stores here. These vaals are not Surti vaal(or Lima beans or Avre or rangooni vaal)

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