Kothavarangai( Cluster beans) puli kuthi kootu/ Cluster beans, tamarind and lentil curry

I inherited this recipe from my maternal grandmother who is a great cook. My mom used to make it very well too. Kothavarangai/ Cluster beans is one of my favorite vegetables. I look forward to this puli kuthi kootu more than paruppu usili made out of kothavarangai. This kootu is that tasty for me.

Ingredients:

Kothavarangai/ Cluster beans - 150 gms
Tamarind                           - 1 lemon sized ball
Toor dhal                           - 1/4 cup
Sambhar powder                - 1.5 tsps
Asafoetida                          - 1 pinch
Salt                                     - As needed
Turmeric powder               - 1/4 tsp

Masala Powder - to grind

Toor dhal                             - 1 tsp
Red chilli                             - 1 nos
Coriander seeds                   - 1 tsp
Coconut shredded /
Dessicated coconut powder - 1 tsp
Karuvadaam                        - 5 - 7 pieces ( optional) *

To temper

Canola oil                            - 1 tsp + 1.5 tblspns for frying karuvadaam( if using) *
Mustard seeds                      - 1 tsp
Methi seeds/ Vendhayam    - 1 tsp
Asafoetida                           - 1 pinch



Method:

1.) Pressure cook toor dhal with turmeric powder and enough water.
2.) Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract syrup as done while making sambhar
3.) Cut kothavarangai as small as you can like as we do for paruppu usili.
4.) Heat a saucepan in low- medium heat and add a tsp of oil.
5.) Add mustard seeds to splutter, add vendhayam/ methi seeds and fry till golden brown.
6.) Add asafoetida and then add cut kothavarangai/ cluster beans.
7.) Mix well and let it cook for 5 minutes in low heat mixing well every minute.
8.) Add tamarind syrup, sambhar powder, asafoetida and stir well to mix everything.
9.) Let it come to a boil and allow it to simmer for 10- 15 mins until kothavarangai/cluster beans is cooked, within which the raw flavour of sambhar powder and tamarind syrup would have been replaced by a wonderful cooked aroma.
10.) Add the desired amount of salt and let it simmer for 3 more minutes
11.) Add pressure cooked toor dhal and stir well. If there is not enough water, add very little to bring it to the consistency of a stew and let it boil for 5 minutes.
12.) In a small flat pan dry roast toor dhal, red chilli, coriander seeds until toor dhal turns glden brown. Bring the heat to low and add shredded coconut/ dessicated coconut powder. Fry till it turns golden brown. Grind this to a powder.
13.) Add this powder to the preparation and mix thoroughly. Let it come to a boil in low to medium heat,
14.) Add 1.5 tblspns of oil to a hot iluppa karandi or a  hot small stir fry pan. Heat oil. Add karuvadaams and fry till golden brown. Take the karuvadaams out of the oil. Drain excess oil and quickly add to  kothavarangai puli kuthi kootu. Mix well. *

 Kothavarangai puli kuthi kootu/ Cluster beans curry is ready.


It can be had with hot rice and potato/arbi (seppankizhangu)/ raw plantain (vazhakkai) fry.

Note

* Karuvadaam belongs to vadaam ( vathal) family and is made with just urad dhal (ulundhu) and  sun-dried. They are about a cm in diameter and add unique texture and flavour when fried and added to all puli kuthi kootu preparations. For me these puli kuthi kootu preparations are never complete without karuvadaams although it is completely optional and the kootu tastes out of the world without them too.

For curious readers and cooking enthusiasts, if you are interested in the making, I am planning to share the recipe of it in one of the future posts. I will link this recipe to that post too when I do it.