Cluster Beans / Kothavarangai Usili

Cluster Beans / Kothavarangai Usili (With gram dhal)

This cluster beans / Kothavangai podimas recipe is again from my mother. As soon as my mother makes podimas, I used to eat this as 11am snack. My mom used to yell at me that if I eat it off like that.. then it will not be enough for lunch. 😂. Pss.. never bothered to take it seriously.. took it in this ear.. left it in the other. 😈.

Kothavarangai podimas is done with channa dhal / bengal gram / Kadalai paruppu. Generally people will not use any strong spices or herbs to their podimas. But, here, we use cinnamon to enhance the flavour and ginger/garlic too.

This kothavangai podimas is a good combination with kara kuzhambu rice or even sambar rice. And with curd rice or rasam rice.. it goes unquestionably.

In this recipe the ingredients are simple. The time taken is the time for soaking the dhal and for sauteing the podimas in low flame.

Ingredients:

• Bengal gram (kadalai paruppu) - 3/4 cup
• Kothavarangai / cluster beans - 500 grams
• Green chillies - 3
• Ginger-garlic crushed - 2 teaspoon
• Onion  - 1 medium size
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - as required
• Water to boil the cluster beans
• Oil - 2 tablespoons

tempering:

• Cinnamon - 3 pieces (2 inch)
• Bengal gram - 2 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Cut the ends of the cluster beans and chop into 1 inch pieces.
• Take this in a container and add water till it immerses.
• Add salt and turmeric powder and let it cook.
• Once the vegetable is cooked, drain water from it. Try to squeeze out water from it. Keep it aside.
• Soak the Bengal gram for 1 hour
• Once soaked, drain it and run it in a blender till it is a coarse paste.
• Now mix the cooked cluster beans and the Bengal gram paste together and keep aside.

Boiled cluster beans and Bengal gram paste - mixed up together 

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the cinnamon and the Bengal gram.
• Once the dhal has turned red, add green chillies and crushed ginger-garlic. Followed by finely chopped onion.
• Saute this for some time.
• Then add the dhal and custer beans mixture and keep stirring.
• Check for salt.
• No need to add water to this.
• Cover the pan and cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes. 
• Stirring the podimas for every 10 minutes is very IMPORTANT as it will get burnt at the bottom.
• This has to sit on stove till the Bengal gram coarse paste is cooked and falls apart like bread crumbs. 
• The whole dish cooks in the water content in the Bengal gram paste itself.
• Add curry leaves just 5 minutes before turning off the stove. Gives an awesome flavour to the dish.
• Turn off the stove once the podimas reaches this stage.
• Thus the kothavangai podimas is ready to be served with rice or even chapathi.

I personally saute this dish till it forms a nice red and crunchy crust at the bottom. 

This dish is one of the dish which I have seen been made in my family and not much anywhere outside.

Happy cooking !!