Bachchali kura Pappu

I go to Indian groceries with mixed feelings: I’m excited about all the different Indian produce and ingredients that I’m about to buy, but at the same time I’m extremely worried about the bill that I have to pay at the end of my shopping spree. We go to Indian grocery may be once in 2 months and I don’t remember the bill ever being less than $150. 

I get so excited seeing my favorite baby eggplants, bright green karelas (bitter gourds) and those ripe juicy mangoes, but my bubble bursts when I look at the prices. Well that doesn’t stop me from shopping there, but it just makes me disappointed that I’ve to pay a buck for 2 stems of curry leaves whereas my mom has endless supply of it right in her back yard. Life’s not fair. 

Well the reason for my rambling is because the price I paid for this bachali kura almost made me cry thinking of the plant we had in our backyard back home. But as I said nothing stops, we still have to buy and eat. On a happier note, this dal tastes awesome. I like bachchali kura since it has a very mild, almost sweet taste and cooking with moong dal accentuates this sweetness and is just perfect with steamed hot rice with a dollop of ghee and some of that panchadara avakaya on the side. This makes life perfect or at least masks all the imperfections.

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Kanda-Bachali Kura (Suran & Malabar-Spinach Curry)

I’m re-visiting this recipe that I posted about 2 years ago. It features in most of Andhra bhojanams (feasts). I love it since I was little and still do. Here is how we make it:

Ingredients:
Bachali kura – 2-3 cups chopped
Spinach – 2 cups
Kanda (Suran) – 1 cup (I used frozen cubed suran)
Ginger – 1 tbsp, minced
Green chilies – 3, chopped
Curry leaves – 10
Tamarind paste – 1tbsp

For Tempering:
Urad dal – 1tsp
Chana dal – 1tsp
Mustard seeds – 1tsp
Cumin seeds – ½tsp
Red chilies – 3
Hing – pinch


Method:

• Heat 2tsp oil in a pan; add the tempering ingredients and once the seeds start to splutter; add ginger, green chilies & curry leaves and sauté for couple of minutes.
  
• Then add the green veggies; cover and cook on medium-low flame for 5-8 minutes or until almost wilted.
  
• In the meantime, de-frost frozen suran in the microwave.
  
• Once the greens are ready, add the suran and ¼ cup of water; cover and cook till suran is completely cooked. I like this dish smooth instead of chunky, so I mash suran with the back of the spoon at this stage. Then add tamarind paste and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice for a yummy Andhra meal.

This is my entry to Cooking for Kids-Leafy Greens event. Send in your entries by the end of this month.

RCI - Andhra Cuisine: Kanda Bachalikura

This is my entry to this month's Regional Cuisine of India (RCI) - Andhra Cuisine, being hosted by lovely Latha (@ Masala Magic). This dish is mostly made during celebrations like weddings, house warming ceremonies etc. This was on the list of my favorite things that I miss about my Mom's cooking.

I did not have enough bachalikura, so I also used spinach. (For authentic taste, use bachalikura without spinach).
Little more information on Bachali Kura: Basella alba Stewaret (syn Basella rubra Linn) Basellaceae; Common English Name: Malabar nightshade, Ceylon spinach or Indian spinach; Tamil: Pasalai keerai; Hindi: Poi; Thai: Phak ptlang.

Photo Courtesy: tamu.edu

Ingredients:
Kanda (Suran) - 1 cup (I used frozen cubed suran)
Bachalikura - 1 cup, chopped
Spinach - 1/2 bunch, chopped
Ginger - 1" piece, minced fine
Green chilies - 6, finely chopped
Tamarind paste - 1tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

For Popu:
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - pinch
Curry leaves - 6

Method:

• Microwave the suran pieces in 1 cup of water for 6-8 minutes, or until the cubes are tender.
  
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan on medium low heat, add the popu ingredients and when the seeds splutter, add curry leaves, ginger and green chilies. Stir fry for about 30 seconds.
  
• Add turmeric and chopped green veggies, cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until they wilt down and don't smell raw anymore.
• Add the microwaved kanda (suran) pieces; cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
• With the back of the spoon mash kanda pieces till it becomes smooth. You can leave them chunky, but traditionally this dish has a very smooth consistency.
  
• Add the tamarind paste, salt and little water (if needed). Cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Kanda Bachali kura & Mixed vegetable curry with Rice

Note: Lemon juice can be used instead of tamarind paste in this dish and it will taste equally yummy.

Here's another similar dish from Ammalu's Kitchen - Kanda Palakura Avapetti.

Majjiga Pulusu with Greens

After seeing the different recipes for Mor Kozhumbu/ Kadis/Majjiga pulusu on various blogs, I wanted to post Andhra version of majjiga pulusu. I used potato, carrot, spinach and bachali kura (Poi/ Pasali Keerai/ Basella alba Stewaret). You can also use bottle gourd (sorakaya), okra etc.

This dish is usually served with small lentil vadas (dumplings) on the side. Vadas are extremely simple to make; ingredients as exactly same as the masala paste. If you plan to make the wadas, just use a bit more of all the ingredients and grind into a thick paste without adding water. Make into small dumplings and deep fry. Enjoy them as is or soaked in the majjiga pulusu. Yummy!!!!

Ingredients:
Potato - 1 medium, cut into thick long slices
Carrot - 1 medium, cut into thick long slices
Spinach - 1/2 cup, chopped
Bachali Kura - 1/2 cup, chopped
Yogurt - 1 cup (sour yogurt is preferred)

For the paste:
Chana Dal - 1tbsp
Toor dal - 1tbsp
Raw rice - 1tsp
Grated coconut - 2tbsp (fresh or dry)
Ginger - 1/4" piece
Green chilies - 3-4
Coriander seeds - 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp

For popu:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilies - 2
Hing - pinch
Curry leaves - 6

Method:

• To make the paste: Soak rice, chana and toor dal for about 30 minutes in warm water. Grind them along with all the other ingredients into a smooth paste with water.
• To make the pulusu: Boil potatoes and carrots with turmeric and salt in about 1 cup of water. When these veggies are slightly tender, after about 10 minutes, add the chopped greens and boil till they wilt.
• Meanwhile whisk yogurt into smooth consistency with no lumps.
• Add the paste, yogurt, salt (to taste) and turmeric to the boiled veggies. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 10 minutes. If you think the mixture is too thick, add water to bring to your desired consistency.
• Remove from heat when it comes to a slow simmer and do the popu. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a small pan, add the popu ingredients and when they splutter, add to the majjiga.
• Serve with rice and vadas.

Personally I don't like soaking my vadas in the pulusu. I usually have them on the side. Adding them directly to the liquid is purely personal taste and choice.

Here are some of the similar recipes from other Hideouts:
Asha's Poosanikai Mor kuzhambu
Shivapriya's Tomato Kadhi
Ratnavalli's Majjiga Pulusu
Priya's Majjiga Pulusu
Prema's Mor Kuzhambu
My own Tomato Kadhi