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Anapaginjala Pulusu or Hyacinth bean gravy

A spicy-tangy richly flavorful winter special, made with avarekaalu or hyacinth bean seeds—this recipe is another I have learned from the women in my husband’s family and the women in their ancestral village, Balareddipalli, north of Bangalore. Presented here with thanks to Hari for the chats that led to the finessing of this recipe!
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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups of anapaginjalu or hyacinth bean seeds
To grind:
  • 10 sambar onions/kutti vengayam or the equivalent in shallots, chopped
  • 2-3 ripe tomatoes
  • 15 Garlic cloves
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • ½ cup fresh grated coconut
  • Some tamarind, added whole or soaked to soften and then added whole--how much depends on how much sourness you want in this dish.
To temper and fry:
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • ½ teaspoon jeera or cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves
  • 5 sambar onions/kutti vengayam or the equivalent in shallots, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Method
 

  1. Set the anapaginjalu in a pot of hot water and simmer until they are tender. You can use a pressure cooker if you wish, but these are fresh and will not take more than a single whistle to cook
  2. Once these are done, set aside in the cooking water which can be used to thin the pulusu at a later stage.
Prepare the masala paste
  1. Grind together all the ingredients under “to grind.” Set aside.
Prepare the pulusu
  1. In a kadhai or other wide sauteing pan, heat the cooking oil until almost smoking
  2. Drop in the jeera and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add the curry leaves.
  3. Follow quickly with the sliced onions/shallots and fry until they are softened.
  4. Add the dhania, red chilli and turmeric powders.
  5. Now add the coconut/masala paste. Use a little water to wash out the blender/mixie jar and add that, too; it will keep the paste from sticking and burning too easily.
  6. Reduce the heat and continue to cook slowly for several minutes.
  7. Follow with the cooked anapaginjalu. Add a cup or two of water and/or the cooking water and allow this to simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes (if the anapaginjalu are not yet cooked, then leave this for longer, about 15-20 minutes).
  8. Add salt, to taste.
  9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve over a soft, piping hot rice. Arcot kichli samba, jeeraga samba, parboiled iluppaippoo samba, all short-grained, all work very well!