Avare Kai Usli / Palya

Avarekai/Field beans Palya/Usuli/Sundal is an excellent side dish and every one will surely enjoy eating this Usli.

Usuli or Usli is prepared using any legumes/pulses/beans, like whole moong, whole channa (black/Kabooli), or cow pea and even peas.(Dry/fresh). These legumes are cooked and seasoned with coconut. It is also used as prasadam in pooja occasions.
This recipe is inspired by "Renuka Manjunath", who had put up her traditionally cooked Sogadu avare Benne Usli In "Pakashale", Avarekai is cooked traditionally and just beautiful. Pakashale is one of my favourite group page. I do learn a lot by reading posts in it.
Coming back to Avare Kai/field beans, I have modified and cooked the curry in simple and quick method, because every one has their own busy  (bit lazy ? I hope at least some agree) schedule. I have cooked avarekai in quick method using pressure cooker. And one more thing to mention is, the bean I have used might not be so fresh. Sogadu means the aroma contained beans which is so fresh. I have seen that fresh beans and enjoyed eating them in those days. These aromatic field beans one can get them in and around the villages. These Avarekai is seasonal beans, the early crops do have rich aroma (sogadu) in them.
Fresh Avare Kai, onions are used and prepared this Usli, It goes well with almost all the main dishes. Dosa, rotti, roti, chapati, poori and even plain rice are very good combinations.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed : 

Avarekai/Field Beans : 2 Cups
Onions : 2 to 3 or more (Medium sized).
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : An inch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Jeera : 1 spoon + 1/2 Spoon
Salt : Required
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Turmeric Powder : a little
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Remove the pods from Avare kai and wash it once. Keep it aside.
2. Remove the outer layer of onions wash it and cut into small.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and grate it.
4. Wash green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves, cut into small.

5. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
6. Dry roast 1 Teaspoon of jeera and powder it .
7. Now keep a pan/pressure cooker on the fire. Add 1 table spoon of ghee and heat.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of geera and fry for 30 seconds. Add curry leaves, green chilly.
9. Add cut onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. (No need to be brown, Let it be transparent).

10. Add Avare kai/field beans and mix it well. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix it again.
11. Add  1/2 cup of water and close the lid. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. (2 to 3 whistles).

12. Open the lid when the pressure cooker cools down.
13. Keep this again on the fire. Let it be low flame. Mix it well.
14. Add roasted jeera powder and cook on low flame.

15.Let all the water dry out. Now add grated coconut and remaining ghee, mix it again.

16. Shift ready to serve Avare Kai Usli to a serving dish and serve with the main dish.

Note : 

You can use butter instead of ghee. Adding more spice is optional. You can also add pepper pods if you wish. Using pressure cooker helps to cook avare kai faster. (Optional). You can cook Avarekai in an big bowl or pan. Using any brand of ready to use jeera powder is optional. I have used fresh jeera. Check green chilly if it is hot use only 2. ( According to your taste).
Serves : 4 to 5 
Time : 30 minutes.  

Jackfruit Muluka

Jack Fruit is a seasonal fruit and is liked by many of us. We can prepare Idli, Dosa , and sweet fritter
(Muluka- in Kannada), Pappad, chips , Payasam and many other items from this wonderful fruit.
Here is a tasty " JACK FRUIT MULUKA " recipe and I am sure YOU will like this item mainly kids.

Things Needed:

Jack Fuits : 2 to 3 cups.
Raw Rice : 1 1/2 cups.
Fresh coconut: 1 Cup ( fresh and grated).
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup.
Salt : a Pinch.
Oil : 1 Cup (to fry).

Mulukaas

Method :

1.Wash and soak raw rice for 2 hours.
2. Grate coconut and powder jaggery.

3. Cut jackfruit into small. (It helps to grind fruits quickly).
4, Grind coconut and jackfruit with out using any water. (Grind with little quantity).

5. Drain all the water from the rice and add rice to ground jack fruit mixture.
6. Grind it nicely till paste. Add jaggery and grind till every thing mixes well.
7. Pour it to the bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Mix it well.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it heat.
9. Now take a small amount of ground jackfruit dough and drop slowly in the oil.

10. Let the flame be medium.Fry on both sides and remove from the oil.
11. Put it on a kitchen tissue. Extra oil is absorbed by the tissue.

12.Repeat the same with remaining dough.
13. Serve hot/cooled Jackfruit Muluka with cup of coffee or tea.
14. Some have these muluka/appa/fritter with ghee or honey.

Jackfruit Idlis.

Jack Fruit idlis are very famous in Dakshina Kannada and other parts of South Canara. Jack Fruits are used with rice, jaggery and coconut.

It is one of the signature dish of Udupi and Mangalore. Jack fruits are dee seeded and ground with fresh coconut and little rice. Then it is steamed in Idli steaming container or pressure cooker. These idlis taste yummy and they are healthy too.
When the rain is pouring down during the rainy season these hot idlis give us good energy and keep our body warm and help us to stay healthy.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients : 

Ingredients:
Raw Rice : 11/2 Cups.
JackFruits : 4 cups.(20 to 25 Fruits cut into small pieces).
Fresh grated coconut: 1 Cup.
Jaggery : 1/2 cup.
Salt : according to the taste.
Oil  or Ghee : 1 Tablespoon.

Method :

1. Wash and soak 11/2 cup of raw rice for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3. Dee seed jack fruits and cut it into small. (It helps to grind it well).

4. Now drain all the water from soaked rice and keep it aside.
5. Grind cut jack fruits and grated coconut for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add rice and grind it. It should be like rava consistency.
7. Add jaggery and give two to three churns in the mixi.
8. Add a pinch of salt and grind for a few seconds.
9. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a bowl.
10. Take little oil/ghee and apply on idli plates.
11. Put a small ladle of ground jack fruit batter in each idli mould.
12. Arrange them and keep it aside.
13. Put some water in idli cooker /pressure cooker and keep idli plates in it.
14. Cover the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

15. Hot idlis are ready to serve. Serve with some ghee on the top of hot idli and pickle aside.

Note : 

Do not use any water while grinding the ingredients. You can divide the ingredients into small portion and grind it. Use of jaggery more/less is optional. Use of more coconut makes idli soft. Use of more fruits adds to the taste.
Time : Soaking rice 3 Hours + Grinding 5 minutes + Cooking time 25 Minutes.
Serves : 5 to 6 .

Gooseberry Tambuli

Goose berry ( Nellikai in Kannada language) is good for health. It is one of the healthiest thing that god has given as gift. It is full of medicinal values filled in it.

Nellikai/Gooseberry available plenty and fresh during Deepavli/October/November time. People in South Canara prepare many dishes out of Nellikai. They prepare Jam, chatti, Morabba (like marmalaid), pickle and tokku.(Thick Chutney).
Here I have used Chatti -Dried Nellikai content (grind nellikai with little chilly and salt and dry it in sun and then store it to use it for rainy season) and other ingredients.
So here is a recipe of Gooseberry/Nellikai chatti  Tambuli which goes well with hot rice.
Tambuli is normally eaten with plain rice in the beginning of lunch. It helps to digest the food easily in a healthy manner.

Things needed 

Gooseberries Chatti : 2 Pieces
Jeera : 1/2 spoon
Black pepper Seeds : 2 to 3
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon
Salt :to taste
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh : a pinch
Coconut: 2 Table spoons.
Curd : 2 Tablespoons or Butter Milk ( 1/2 cup).

Method:

1. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and add 1 teaspoon of ghee.
2. Add 2 to 4 grains of methi seeds. Let it turn slightly brown. Add jeera and pepper.
3. Fry for 10 to 20 seconds. Add curry leaves. Put off the fire. Add grated coconut to it.
4. Soak nellikai chatti with little water for 5 minutes.
5. Grind soaked Gooseberry pieces and fried jeera mixture. Grind it with very little water or curd.
6. Add required curd/butter milk and mix it well. Add salt to it.

7. Take a small pan. Add ghee and jeera. Add little ingh/Asafoetida. Add curry leaves.
8. Add this seasoning to Gooseberry tambuli and mix it well.
9. Serve with Hot Rice in the beginning of the servings.

Note:

You can use fresh gooseberry and 1 green chilly instead of gooseberry chatti. (Gooseberry cake). You can use butter milk instead of curd. If you are using add water to the curd and make it more liquid.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 10 Minutes.