Raw Mango Cluster Bean Curry/ Aam Gawar ki Sabzi/ Manga Kothavarangai Kuzhambu

We have already seen the health benefits of Kothavarangai, also known as Cluster Beans/ Gawar. Kothavarangai is loaded with nutrients like Calcium, fiber, Carbohydrates, Iron, Mineral, Phosphorous, Protein and Vitamins A, C, D and K. This vegetable helps in controlling Sugar and is so known as Cheeni Avarakkai in Tamil (Cheeni means Sugar and Avarakkai means Beans.) If cooked well, the dishes will turn out to be very tasty. We can make varieties of dishes using these beans and we will see here how to make a Curry with this vegetable in combination with Mango.

Ingredients:

Oil – 2 tbsp

Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds – ½ tsp

Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp

Urad Dal – 2 tsp

Onion – 1 (finely chopped)

Garlic Pod – 10 to 15

Curry Leaves – from 2 sprigs

Asafoetida – 1 pinch

Cluster Beans (Kothavarangai) – 150 Gms

Raw Mango – ¼ a piece (cut into pieces)

Drum Stick – 1 (cut into 2 inch long pieces)

Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Coriander Seed Powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch

Salt – to suit taste

Rice Flour – 2 tsp

Tamarind Water – as required

To grind:

Large Tomato – 1 (chopped)

Medium sized Onion – 1 (chopped)

Method:

Wash the Beans. Cut off the head and tail portion and discard. Peel the vein and discard. Pile 10 to 12 beans together and chop them into 2 inch long pieces. Keep aside.

Grind the Tomato and Onion together into a slightly coarse paste.

Heat the Oil in a pan. Add Fenugreek Seeds. And add the Mustard in few seconds. When they splutter, add the Urad Dal. Fry them for a few seconds. Add Onion, Garlic Pods and Curry Leaves. Sauté till the Onion becomes golden.

Now, add the Raw Mango Pieces, Drum Stick pieces and Cluster Beans. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Chilli Powder, Coriander Seed Powder, Turmeric Powder and Salt. Add the Onion and Tomato Paste. Mix well and cook till the moisture evaporates.

Add 3 cups of water and the Tamarind water. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes covered with a lid till Beans are cooked well. Add 3 to 4 tsp of water to the Rice Flour, mix and add to the boiling gravy. Stir continuously to avoid lump formation.