Mochakottai (lima beans) Kurma

A legume variety that is vastly available during Thai month or commonly called as the Pongal season. We have always used them in Sambar recipes, but here's a surprise, you can use them to make a tasty kurma too.
 

Mochakottai (lima beans)Kurma 

Ingredients

Mochakottai (fresh or frozen) – 1 cup

Big onion (small size) - 2

Tomato (medium size) - 1

Grated coconut - 1 table spoon

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic pods (medium size) – 2 to 3

Poppy seeds (kasakasa) - 2 teaspoon

Cashew nuts - 4

Chilli powder – 1 to 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 2 to 3 teaspoons

Salt to taste

For Seasoning

Butter (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Oil – 1 to 2 teaspoon

Cardamom – 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Clove – 1

Jeera - 1 teaspoon

Sombu (Aniseeds) - 1 teaspoon

Green chili - 1 to 2 numbers

Preparation

Grind grated coconut, poppy seeds, and cashew nuts into a paste with little water.

Method

In a small cooker pan, add 1 teaspoon of butter or oil and fry the ingredients listed for seasoning.

Add finely chopped garlic, ginger and sauté for few seconds.

Add onion pieces along with little salt and sauté until it turns golden brown. Add chopped tomato and fry for a minute.

Then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and sauté for few seconds.

At this stage, add fresh mochakotti to the mix and pour 1 cup of water. Now close the cooker and cook upto 2 whistles. (If a small size cooker is not available, cook in an open vessel until the mochakottai gets soft). Open the cooker lid only after pressure releases.

Add the ground masala along with the cooked items and salt, if necessary add little water and bring it to a slight boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Now the dish is ready to serve.

Tips

Fresh and tender mochakottai is good for this dish. It will be available only in a particular season. If fresh mochakottai is not available, you can use dried seeds but soak and cook them separately and then add to this dish.

If you want to use crystal salt instead of table salt, add the crystal salt while grinding the coconut paste but be careful with the amount of salt you add.

Health benefits

Lima beans is a part of the legume family with high dietary fiber content and is very low in Saturated Fat, it is a good source of iron.

Kollu rasam/ Horse Gram Rasam/ Ulavalu Char

Kollu Rasam, home made style of steaming rasam made from horse gram or ulavalu. Ulavacharu available in restaurants is made completelu from Horse gram that has a strong flavor. This rasam is something that you can try and enjoy with rice or just as a soup on a cold evening.  

 

Kollu (horse gram) rasam 

Ingredients (serves 2-3 persons)

Boiled kollu – 1 tablespoon
Tamarind paste – 2-3 tablespoon
Vellam (jaggery) – optional
Tomato - 1
Coconut – 1 tablespoon
Sambar powder – 2 to 3 tablespoon (optional)
Curry leaves
Salt - to taste

Seasoning 

Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - one pinch
Curry leaves - few

Preparation 

Grind boiled kollu, grated coconut, sambar powder, few curry leaves with little salt and keep aside.

Method 

In a pan add some water, tamarind paste, chopped tomato pieces, jaggery along with some salt and cook for few minutes until the tomato becomes soft.
Then add the ground paste, water (if required) and allow to boil.
In a pan heat some oil and add the ingredients mentioned for seasoning and add with rasam.
Serve it with hot rice. 

Health Benifits 
Kollu helps to reduce weight and gives strength to the body.
Gives a refreshing feeling at times of cold and fever.

Tips

Kollu puttu is a good side dish for this - The method of preparation is available separately.

Sweet Kollu puttu/ Horse gram Sweet

Kollu, as we all know spicy dishes can be made easily with this pulse but horse gram combined with jaggery gives a different flavor to the mouth. Treat yourself with this tasty dessert for lunch!

Sweet Kollu puttu 

 

 Ingredients (serves 2-3 persons)

Boiled kollu – 1 cup

Jaggery or palm jaggery – as per taste

Ghee – 2 teaspoon

Cashew - few 

Preparation
Boil ¾ cup of kollu (which will become 1 cup after boiling) in a pressure cooker, cool and grind using wiper mode. Continuous grinding will mash, which will not give good look and taste.

It is good to pressure cook kollu at the time of cooking rice in a separate bowl.

Method

In a pan, heat ghee and add the half broken cashews and fry for few seconds (not necessary to get brown).

Now add jaggery and allow it to melt a little, and then add the mashed kollu, sauté till both get mixed. Add extra jaggery if necessary.

Sweet kollu puttu is ready to serve.

Kollu (horse gram) puttu

Kollu (horse gram) puttu 

Ingredients (serves 2-3 persons) 

Boiled kollu – 1 cup

Green chilli – 1 to 2 (as per taste)
Garlic pods – 2 to 3 medium size
Salt - to taste 

Seasoning 
Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - one pinch

Curry leaves - few

Preparation
Boil ¾ cup of kollu (which will become 1 cup after boiling) in a pressure cooker.

It is good to pressure cook the kollu at the time of cooking rice in a separate bowl.

Method 

In a pan heat some oil and add the ingredients mentioned for seasoning. Add green chilli and garlic pods to seasoning and sauté for few seconds. Add boiled kollu and sauté for few seconds. Cool to room temperature.

Grind the mixture along with some salt using wiper mode. Now the puttu is ready to serve.

Continuous grinding will mash the ingredients which will not give good look and taste.

Health Benefits 

Kollu helps to reduce weight and gives strength to the body.

Tips

Kollu puttu is a good side dish for kollu rasam. The method of preparation is available separately.