Chikkudu Kaya Kura – Indian Broad Beans Fry

This afternoon, as I was blog hopping, I came across an event going on at Sindhirasoi. The event is called Just for You. This event is a vegetarian food blog event and I began to think if I could participate and what to send. You see, Mr.U is a meat lover and if meats were allowed, I would have numerous entries to send. Then suddenly I remembered that he wanted chikkudu kaya kura for dinner. Chikkudu kaya is one of very few vegetables that  I can confidently say, U loves it.  I got to work right away and cooked the vegetable right way.  Honey, this chikkudu kaya kura is Just for You, but the recipe goes to Alka, for her Just for You Event.

Chikkudu kaya kura or Indian Broad Beans fry is an all time favorite in my family, not just in my married family, but in my maternal family too.  Back home, specially in the villages, broad beans is very long with big seeds in the pod.  The bigger the seeds, tastier the vegetable is.   Broad beans here is not that big and is seedless.  It is seedless because it is plucked too early and sent of to the stores, even before the seeds are formed.   Since the pods don’t have any seeds in them, I add some frozen valor lilva or Indian beans when cooking the vegetable.  Frozen valor lilva can be found in the freezer section of any Indian grocery store.  Last time I did my Indian groceries, I was lucky and found very good chikkudu kaya with big beans/seeds in the pod.  I think I will again go to the store  tomorrow, to pick up some more chikkudu kaya before it is all sold out, and freeze it for future use.  :)

Total Time: 30-35
Preparation: 15 minutes (I did not check how long it took cut the beans)
Cooking Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Yields: 4

Ingredients:

• 500 gms or little over a 1lb Indian Broad Beans
• ¾th – 1 cup fresh frozen Valor Lilva
• 8 Green Chilies Chopped or cut length wise
• 2 Scallions Chopped
• Salt to Taste
• 2-3 tbsp Oil
• 4 Curry Leaves
• 1 Small Onion chopped
• 1 tbsp Garlic Crushed/Paste
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• Cilantro to Garnish

Preparation:

• Break the tips of the beans and peel the fiberous string length wise, as shown in the picture. Open the beans and make sure there are no insects or rotten seeds inside. Cut/break the beans into ½ “ or 1” length with your fingers.  You don’t need a knife for this.






• Wash the beans and the frozen valor lilva if using.   In a sauce pan, add these beans, green chilies and ½ the chopped scallions, salt and about ½ – 1 cup of water. Cook the beans until tender. This should take about 5- 10 minutes. No linger than 10 minutes. Beans cooks very fast and be careful not to over cook it.
• In a pan, add oil and saute curry leaves and the onions until they become translucent.
• Add scallions, garlic and saute for a minute. Add turmeric and chili powder and stir well.
• Add boiled beans and mix well. If there is any water, cook on high until water evaporates. Reduce the flame to med-medium high and fry for another 5-10 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve it with roties or rice.

Vegetable Noodles

It has been a long time since I cooked Chinese food at home. Today for lunch, I made myself vegetable noodles. Usually when I fix myself some noodles, I just follow the instructions on the package. Boil the noodles and vegetables and then season it with the flavor that comes with the package. But today, I pampered my self a little bit. I boiled the noodles and then fried it in some oil, along with the vegetables.

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 Top Ramen (any noodles of your choice)
• 1 tbsp Oil
• ½ Small Onion Sliced
• ½ tsp Ginger Paste
• 4 Green Chilies Chopped
• 1 Carrot Chopped
• 5 Strings Beans Chopped
• ¼ cup Green Peas
• Cilantro Chopped
• ¼ tsp Pepper Powder
• 1 tsp Tamari Sauce or Soya Sauce
• Salt to Taste

Method:

• Boil water in a pan and add the noodles. Cook for 3-4 minutes until noodles are cooked.
• Drain the noodles and run it under cold water. Add little oil to the noodles and mix, to avoid the noodles from sticking.
• Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Add ginger paste, green chilies, beans carrots and peas, and cook until vegetables are tender.
• Add pepper powder, ½ a packet of flavoring, tamari and salt. Be careful with salt. Seasoning flavor has some salt it in it. Mix well and add noodles.
• Sauté until noodles are fried, for 3-5 minutes.
• Serve hot and enjoy.

Carrots, Beans, Peas and tan color of the Noodles are a beautiful color combination.  Vegetable Noodles will be a perfect entry for Whats Your Favorite WYF – Color in Food event, hosted by EasyCrafts. 

Vegetable Bagara

Total Time: 35 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Oil
• 4 Cloves
• 6 Cardamons
• 1 Bay Leave
• 1 Bay Flower
• ¼” Cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp Sahajeera
• ½ bunch Mint chopped (opt)
• ½ cup Methi chopped (opt)
• 1 medium sized Onion sliced
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 2 long Carrots cut into 1″ length
• 10 Beans string cut into 1″ length
• 1 medium sized Potato diced
• pinch of Turmeric Powder (for color)
• ½ cup Lima Beans
• 3 cups Rice soaked in water for 30 minutes
• Cilantro

Cooking:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add cloves, cardamoms, bay leaves, bay flower, cinnamon, sahajeera, mint.
• Add methi, onions and fry until light brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and turmeric powder and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add rice and fry for 2 minutes, add salt.
• Add 4 1/2 cups hot water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat the cook until rice is done.
• Add Cilantro and serve hot.