Tamil Nadu

Mochai kottai kuzhambu

Name: Mochai kottai kuzhambu
Prep time: 8 h
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 8 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tamil
Ingredients: 2/3 cup dried mochai soaked overnight val beans (lablab beans); Water, about 3 cups, for cooking and gravy; 1/4 tsp turmeric (ground turmeric); a lemon sized ball tamarind; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 1/2 tsp mustard seeds; 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 sprig curry leaves; 12 peeled shallots; 8 cloves garlic; 1 large chopped tomato; 3 small quartered brinjal (eggplant, aubergine); 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (indian red chili powder); 1 tbsp coriander powder (ground coriander); 1/2 tsp jaggery; Salt, to taste

Field beans in tamarind gravy. Creamy, tangy and absolutely worth the overnight soak.

50 minTime

10 gProtein each

mediumSpice

8hPlan ahead. Soak for 8 hours first; the 50 minutes come after.

The field bean kuzhambu3 chapters · 2 min read

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThe original. Handle with reverence.

The original

245kcal

10 gprotein

10 gfibre

50minutes

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table. Grandma's way is the starting point the other versions are compared with.

Ingredients

Val beans (lablab beans)⅔ cup dried mochai, soaked overnight

Waterabout 3 cups, for cooking and gravy

Turmeric (ground turmeric)¼ tsp

Tamarinda lemon sized ball

Sesame oil2 tbsp

Mustard seeds½ tsp

Fenugreek seeds¼ tsp

Curry leaves1 sprig

Shallots12, peeled

Garlic8 cloves

Tomato1 large, chopped

Brinjal (eggplant, aubergine)3 small, quartered

Red chilli powder (indian red chili powder)1½ tsp

Coriander powder (ground coriander)1 tbsp

Jaggery½ tsp

Saltto taste

Method

7 steps

1Drain the soaked mochai and pressure cook with 2 cups water and a pinch of turmeric for 3 to 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.
2Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water, squeeze well and strain.
3Heat the sesame oil, splutter mustard and fenugreek, add curry leaves, then the shallots and garlic. Fry until golden.
4Add the tomato, brinjal, remaining turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry for 3 minutes.
5Pour in the tamarind water and salt. Simmer until the raw tamarind smell is gone and the brinjal is soft.
6Add the cooked beans with their liquid and the jaggery. Simmer until thick and oil floats on top.
7Rest for 10 minutes and serve with hot rice and appalam.

Serve it like this

Serve over steaming rice with a drizzle of sesame oil and appalam on the side.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.

Mochai kottai kuzhambu

Make it your way

Ingredients

Method

Make it a meal