Curried Long and Kidney Beans - Srilankan Style

Toronto ranks as the second-best city among the world's "metro powerhouses" in areas of business opportunities, culture, livability and innovation, only beat out for the top spot by New York City and followed closely by surprise contender San Francisco a new report claims. As for me, I will tag Toronto as an cultural Icon. I'm always impressed by the feast of cultures its got to offer. And sure different cultures bring exotic flavours of different foods, Western, Mexican, Italian&Spanish, South Asian, Greek& other Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, Thai&Malai & other Oriental, Pakistani, Srilankan you name it...With all these captivating culinary skills we have a perfect gastronomic treat right here.

Today I'm blogging one of my favorite Srilankan Tamil curry made with Srilankan raw curry powder which is usually on the menu in most of the Srilankan Tamil take outs and their gatherings and special occasions. Somehow took a liking towards this vegan preparation that I gave it a try at home. Some of the Srilankan Tamil dishes follow the method to deep fry the vegetable and then add it to the sauce/gravy, which definitely grades high in taste if you comprise on health. Well once in a while is ok, but not on regular basis. I completely cooked in steam and it still turned out tasty.

Ingredients:
1 full bunch of Long beans, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 or 1/2 Can Kidney beans
1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium onion sliced
3 small green chillies
8-10 curry leaves
2 Tbsp Srilankan Curry power or use the Spice powder mix(below)
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
Salt to taste
For the Spice powder mix:
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp fenugreek powder
1/4 tsp Mustard powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp Dhal powder

Preparation:

In a kadai, heat oil and allow mustard to mustard.
Add sliced onions, slit green chillies & Curry leaves and saute till onions are translucent.
If not deep frying, then add the broken long beans, salt and saute' .
Now add the Srilankan Masala powder and mix thoroughly.
Add tomato paste and mix again.
If required sprinkle some water and cook covered for 15- 20 min or till the beans are soft.
If you deep fried the beans, then before adding the fried beans add the spice powder to the sauteed onions and fry well.
Then tomato paste and a little water and cook till the sauce thickens, and then add the beans to the tomato spice mix gravy.
Cook for 5 to 6 mins till the beans absorb the sauce into them.
Now add the kidney beans and mix well to coat them evenly with all the masala, taking care not to mash them.
Simmer for another 2 mins and remove from heat.
Makes a hearty side dish for rice, idiyappam or parota.

Flat beans with Tomato /Avarai kai Kuttu/Chikkudukaya Tamata/Tamatar Papdi

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will notice that I use Tomatoes bountifully in most of my dishes, Aloo Tamatar, Gobi Tamatar, Tomato Shrimp etc. and now Tomato and Flat beans. And still to come is Tomato cabbage . Well the inspiration is definitely from my Grand mother. I use to cherish all her tomato dishes so much that i carry forward them in my regular menu now.

You can check my other flat beans recipe here.

Now for the recipe of Flat beans and Tomato curry.

Ingredients:
1 lb Flat Beans ( Easily available in all the Asian/South Asian Stores usually packaged)
2 tbsp - Cooking Oil
1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 - Medium onion cut length wise
2-3 Green Chillies slit
8-10 curry leaves
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
Salt to taste
1 cup - Tomato Puree
A small bunch of coriander leaves chopped

Procedure:
1. Clean the Flat beans by cutting of the edges and removing the middle fibre and make 3 to 4 pieces of each bean. Wash Skin the beans together, drain keep aside.
2. Heat a wide bottom skillet, add oil.
3. After the oil is hot add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter
4. Add cut onions. chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions are translucent.
5. Now add flats beans, red chilly powder and salt, mix well to coat the beans with the seasonings.
6.Cover and cook till beans are soft and almost cooked, stirring regularly.
7. Once the beans are soft add the pureed tomatoes or tomato paste and mix well.
8. cook for another 7 to 10 minutes or till the raw smell of the tomatoes is gone and a pleasant aroma of the curry starts to come.
9. Add more chilly powder and salt if required
10. Add the coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Have it with plain rice and papad or serve it with rice and sambar or with any seasoned rice.

Flat Beans/Averai Kai/Chikkudu kai/Papdi Sabzi

This Vegie which is called Flat beans(English), Averai kai(Tamil), Chikkudu kai(Telugu) and Papdi(Hindi) falls into the list of my favourites.
This is one vegie I used to get scare to clean, cause back home these beans used to have worms inside them. So My GM used to tear open each bean and peep inside to see if any worms are housing there and discard them. Others she use to gently removed the hard fibre and brake them into small peices with fingers.

My GM used to cook it with tomatoes, and my mom used to make this version.
Available in most of the Indian and Asian groceries fresh or frozen,this is another nutritional vegie.

Ingredients:
1 lb flat beans, (Cleaned with centre fibre removed and broken into small peices if fresh or use the frozen ones which are already done)
1 tbp oil
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Urad dal
1 Onion cut length wise
2 Red Chillies broken into small peices
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1/8 tsp Turmeric
A few curry leaves
Coriander to garnish
Salt to taste
If interested add 1/2 tsp of Kasthuri methi and 1/8 tsp of Amchur powder for more flavour
Method:
Heat up oil in kadai/pot. Add the mustard seeds.
After the mustard splutters, add the urad dhall fry a little.
Then add the red chillies saute, and add the onions, curry leaves and fry them till onions are translucent.
Add the turmeric powder, saute.
Now add the cleaned Papdi/flat beans and required salt, give it a nice mix to coat them well with the seasoning.
Sprinkle some water and cook covered with lid till the beans are cooked mixing them in regular intervals so that the beans won't stick to kadai and get charred.
Once almost cooked , add the chilli powder and kasthuri methi and amchur powder, mix, garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Serve hot with dal and roti/chapati or Rice and sambar.