Zaiqa

One of the most delicious beans that as the name suggest grows in clusters and a native of South India – Cluster beans, also called as Gavar ki Phalli in Urdu language, are high in proteins and fibre and low in fat, making them a very good option for people with diabetes and cholesterol.

young cluster beans growing on plant

The beans have a delicate taste and tiny pods inside them. Choose young beans to cook and discard any blemished or mature beans. They can easily be distinguished from the regular green beans as they have a flat appearance and pointed ends.

These are available both fresh (in season) and frozen at Indian grocery stores. My grandmother had a very tedious method of preparing these beans before cooking which my Ammi always followed. The following picture should help you all understand the procedure.

What she used to do was wash them well, drain, then top and tail the beans. After all this done, the beans are then split from one side – the ridged side, using the tip of the knife all along its length and then chopped into 1 inch pieces. All this really makes a difference as it allows the masala to go into the beans as they are split open to absorb all flavors and make them really delicious. The beans can also be completely split into two halves instead of splitting them from one side only.

vegetable vendor selling fresh vegetables door to door on a street cart : a common sight in India

My Ammi cooks this vegetable either with meat, or along with a roasted sesame seed paste. Most vegetables are cooked along with a little amount of meat in Hyderabadi households. We are fond of meat. But for this totally vegetarian preparation, adding a little bit of roasted sesame seed paste adds a lot of flavor as well as imparts creaminess to the curry.

Til Wali Dum ki Gavar ki Phalli – Cluster beans cooked in a Spicy Sesame Seed Sauce

Ingredients:

Olivado Avocado Oil (or any other cooking oil) – 2 tbsp
Onion – 1, large, peeled and diced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3, finely chopped
Tomato – 1, diced
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp
Cluster beans – 340 gms, fresh or frozen
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Til Wali Dum ki Gavar ki Phalli – Cluster beans cooked in a Spicy Sesame Seed Sauce

Method:

1. In a small frying pan at medium high heat, add the sesame seeds and dry roast them without adding any oil until they are a few shades darker. Remove from from heat and transfer to a spice grinder. Add a little bit of water and puree into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
2. In a pressure cooker at medium high heat, pour in oil and as soon as it warms up, add the diced onions and cook them while stirring until they are browned. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chopped green chillies and diced tomatoes, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder and let cook on low heat for two minutes. Add the roasted sesame seed paste prepared earlier and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the prepared cluster beans and stir gently to mix. Pour in about 2 cups water and pressure cook until the beans are soft. Remove the lid and let cook for 3-5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm along with Baghara Chawal or along with Parathas.

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Cooking Oil Review:

[Disclosure: Olivado sent me samples of their oil to review. I was under no obligation to review the samples or, if I did review them, to post a positive review. I received no monetary compensation for this review.]

A few months back I received an email from Katelyn from Olivado Oils if I was interested in trying out their products. I obliged and in a few weeks time I received a wonderful package of a gorgeous chestnut faux leather box filled with carefully packed beautiful looking cooking oils. Until now I have been a fan of only two kinds of oils, one is the Olive oil, and the next comes Canada’s own Canola oil, both of which are a regular in my house. I was pleased to try out a new oil and hopefully include it into my choices.

this can be yours

And I am glad I tried these oils. Just the name Avocado oil intrigued me as I love the creamy rich flavor of avocados. The four varieties of oils that I received are Olivado Omega Plus Blended Oil, Olivado Avocado Zest Oil, Olivado Macadamia Nut Oil and Olivado Kenya Avocado Oil. Each variety of oil has its own benefits and uniqueness to offer. The avocado oils are organic, fair trade, cold pressed and extra virgin. I have been using them as salad dressings, in baking, grilling, salsas and cooking my daily meals. The oils have a fresh fruity aroma and the taste is not overpowering at all.

My conclusion is that I am thoroughly impressed and totally recommend these new health oils to everyone. The good news is that they are available all over the world and also in Canada. So go ahead and try them out for yourselves.

Giveaway: Olivado has agreed to giveaway just a similar package as that which was sent to me (the above mentioned four varieties of oils in a chestnut faux leather box) to one lucky reader of my blog (open to residents of US and Canada only).  A very good chance for all of you to sample these new cooking oils. To participate, simply leave a comment below. The last date to enter is February 28th 2011. The winner will be announced in the first week of March 2011.

Luv,
Mona