Hurulikayi and Heerekayi Bassaru

This is an authentic Karnataka dish usually made with a variety of lentils. This dish consists of a curry made of the water which is used to cook the lentils...., hence, the name BASSARU or BASIDA SAARU which means " strained water curry " in kannada. Traditionally this was made more with horse gram (huruli kaalu) but i have tried this out with Flat beans (avarekai), heerekayi, beans and cabbage. Below is a combination of heerekayi (ridgegourd) and beans bassaru.

Sounds a tedious recipe but easy when you get the hang of preparing it and the taste makes it worth the job done..... So, enjoy.....

Hurulikayi and heerekayi bassaru (Beans and Ridge gourd curry)

Ingredients:

1/4 kg french beans
1/4 kg ridge gourd
1/2 cup tuvar dal
a pinch of turmeric
mustard seeds and curry leaves for tempering.

For the masala:

3/4 cup coconut
1/4 tsp jeera
3-4 peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)
5-6 red chillies (you can increase or decrease as per taste)
1 small size onion (sliced and fried till golden brown)
10-12 cloves garlic (fried till raw smell goes)
lemon sized ball of tamarind
salt to taste
For the palya (dry sabji):

the boiled vegetables and dal which is strained (strained water should be kept aside for the curry)
2 onions (sliced fine)
3-4 green chillies
3-4 tbsps of grated coconut
mustard seeds
curry leaves
coriander leaves for garnish
1 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. String the beans and snap it to 1 inch pieces, lightly scrape the ridge gourd and evenly slice it to 1 inch pieces
2. Boil the daal alongwith beans and a pinch of turmeric till 3/4th done.
3. When the dal is 3/4th cooked add the ridge gourd (ridge gourd cooks relatively faster)
4. When the dal is cooked (take care to not make the dal mushy), strain the water and keep aside.

Preparing the masala:

1. Fry the onions, garlic separately. Roast the dhania, chillies, cumin, pepper separately.
2. Grind all the roasted spices, onion, garlic and coconut together with the tamarind. When grinding, add 2-3 tbsp of the cooked dal (this helps in making the curry thicker if necessary)
3. Now add this ground masala to the strained water, mix well and boil for 5-6 mins.
4. Make a tadka (hoggarane/tempering) of mustard seeds, a little hing and curry leaves and add to the curry.

Preparing the palya:

1. Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add onions and fry till translucent
2. Add curry leaves fry, add salt according to taste.
3. Now add the strained vegetables and stir-fry for 2 mins.
4. Add coconut and fry for a further minute.
5. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

This dish goes well with raagi mudde (ragi balls) and rice.