Avarekalu Melogra – video recipe with tips and instructions.

Melogra is very simple to make traditional side dish goes well with rice, chapathi, rotti , poori …. This utterly delicious Melogara can be prepared with mixed vegetables, avarekaalu or field beans or flat beans. As every dish, melogra can be prepared in different ways , each family has its own style of cooking it. This particular recipe is from my mother. This is NO Onion No Garlic side dish. To make it gluten free – don’t use hing/asafetida.

If you are interested in other Avarekalu recipes, check these – Hittikida avarekalu saaru, avarekalu pongal

Ingredients:

• 2 cups avarekalu / surti papdi lila
• 2¼ to 1½ cups water
• 1 to 1¼ tsp salt
• Few curry leaves
• ½ tsp cumin seeds ( to cook the beans)

For grinding:

• 1 to 1¼ cup grated coconut
• 4 to 6 green chillies(just turning red is preferred )
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 1.5 tbsp rice soaked in water

For seasoning:

• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of hing/asafoetida
• Pinch of turmeric powder

Method:

1. Wash and pressure cook the avarekalu with 2 cups of water, ½ tsp salt, and cumin seeds on medium heat. Turn off the heat after 2 whistles.
2. Grind the ingredients listed under “For grinding” to a fine paste. Add enough water to get the fine paste.
3. Add this paste to the cooked beans, mix it well. Add remaining salt, curry leaves. Let it boil on medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in between.
4. Consistency of the melogara is kind of thick. If you don’t like you can add water to your desired consistency.
5. Turn off the heat after 5 to 6 minutes,

Seasoning:

1. Once the oil is hot enough add hing, mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pops, turn off the heat and add turmeric powder.
2. Pour this seasoning on the melogara, mix it and serve this with rice, roti, chapathi, rotti, poori…..