Cluster Beans / Gavar / Guar / Kothavarangai :-
Cluster beans has calcium, phosphorous and little iron.
How to buy :- Beans should be tender and look fresh. Avoid over ripen (very pale in colour) as it becomes chewy. Avoid buying stained ones or beans with black spots as it means the beans are old.
How to clean :- Some people feel cleaning is laborious but it is not so if you use a knife and chopping board. Wash it thoroughly, put inside a colander to drain. arrange few beans at a time (say 6 nos) with same sides together and chop off using a knife. Do the same with the other end too. Now the beans are ready to use.
This beans in Indian cuisine is used alone or along with potato and is prepared in different ways. It is also processed, dried and stored to use as a fried accompaniment (vaththal) along with curd rice.
The method i shared here is Maharashtrian preparation which goes well as a dry side dish with rotis, rice. It can also be directly mixed with plain white rice to make a variety rice for lunch box.
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Ingredients :-
- Cluster Beans - 1 cup
- Onion - 1 (medium)
- Tomato - 1 (Medium)
- Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
- Roasted & powdered groundnut - 2 tbsp
- Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (or as per your prefernce)
- Coriander Powder - 1tbsp
- Ghoda masala - 1tsp (maharashtrian garam masala or normal garam masala or you can do without this too)
- Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch
- Curry leaves - 1 sprig (finely chopped)
- Oil for tempering - 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Jaggery - 1tsp (optonal)
Procedure :
- Wash the cluster beans, drain & remove the ends as mentioned above. Chop in to 3 or 4 pieces
- Finely chop onion and tomatoes
- Finely chop the curry leaves
- Heat oil, add little mustard seeds. After they splutter add, asafoetida powder & chopped curry leaves
- Add the finely chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
- Add Red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, peanut powder and ghoda masala mix well.
- add required water, jaggery (optional) cover and cook until done. Keep mixing in between.
- Or you can pressure cook till two whistles, let the pressure come down. Then open the lid, switch on the flame.
- In the last stage, add grated coconut, mix well and cook for 5 minutes stirring in between.
- Delicious Gavar ki sabzi is ready!
