Hyacinth Bean Uppu Saaru and Palya
Ingredients
- 250g hyacinth beans
- Salt
- Turmeric
- Chopped spinach
- Chopped dill leaves
For uppu saaru
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh coconut
- 10 garlic cloves
- 10 green chillies (sautéed in oil)
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 tomato
- Fistful of cooked greens and beans mixture
- Water
- Tamarind
- Oil
- Mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Asafoetida (hing)
- Fresh coriander leaves
For palya
- Green chillies
- Garlic
- Onion
- Mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Asafoetida (hing)
- Freshly grated coconut
Preparation
Pressure cook the hyacinth beans with some salt and turmeric until they are 80% cooked.
Remove the lid of the pressure cooker and add a big bunch of chopped spinach and dill each into the bean stew.
Add more salt and cook this uncovered.
Once cooked, strain the liquid into another pot and squeeze the greens to extract the liquid and flavor.
For the uppu saaru, grind 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 cup fresh coconut, 10 garlic cloves, 10 sautéed green chillies, 1/2 raw onion, 1/2 tomato, and a fistful of the greens and beans mixture to a fine paste.
Add enough water, tamarind, and adjust salt if needed to the ground paste.
Prepare a tadka with oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, garlic, and asafoetida, then add it to the mixture.
Bring the saaru to a boil and top with fresh coriander.
For the palya, sauté green chillies, garlic, and onion in a tadka of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
Add the squeezed-out greens and beans mixture, mix thoroughly, adjust the salt, and add freshly grated coconut.
Cook until flavorful and well mixed.
Notes
The lesser your food travels, the higher the nutrition it retains. Avare or hyacinth beans are in season in Karnataka and commonly used in various household dishes. This recipe may be served with mudde, though preparation is not detailed here.
