Bharathi Aunty's Mochai Kuzhambu

This is a special kuzhambu that a close family friend of ours makes and it's so tasty and creamy. I tasted this about 3 years ago and loved it... so when she visited us a while ago, I was sure to get this recipe from her. This uses dry mochai beans and so I made it a point to get a pack during our recent trip to India.

This recipe can be made with white channa, rajma beans & dried green peas as well besides mochai. You may have to lower the amount of tamarind accordingly for these however.

MOCHAKOTTAI KUZHAMBU


Ingredients:
Dried mochai beans - 1 cup
Tamarind - small lemon sized (lesser than what is used for puli kuzhambu), soaked
Garlic cloves (whole) - 6 to 8, peeled
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Brinjals - 1 or 2, small (optional, I didn't use)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Coconut milk - 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Grind to a fine paste (with water as required):
Chilli powder - 2.5 tsp
Coriander powder - half tsp
Cumin powder - 2.5 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Method:
1) Dry roast the mochai for a few mins and soak for 3 hours atleast or overnight. Pressure cook the soaked mochai beans with a bit of salt, till soft - about 3 whistles. Extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind piece.


2) Heat the oil, season with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida, toss in the garlic cloves and chopped onion. Fry this till golden brown. Also add brinjal and fry (if using)

3) Now add the ground paste and fry this for a minute. Next add the tamarind extract and salt. When this boils, add the cooked beans and allow this to boil for another 5 minutes.

4) Add the coconut milk and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or till oil separates.

Serve this delicious curry with rice.

I would like to send this to JFI-Tamarind hosted by Sig and also to AFAM-Coconut event hosted by Suganya. JFI was started by Indira and AFAM by Maheshwari.

Also check out
1) Seema's version of the same recipe (from the same source) and
2) My mom's version of Mochai Kuzhambu.

Comments

  1. my dad loves mochai! i have posted sundal in my blog. my mom makes this more often though

    ReplyDelete
  2. We called "vaal" in Gujarati. Love this recipe, looks awesome. Will try sooooon!!!Thanxxxx for sharing :))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Exactly how we make at home :) We do add some Non_veg too (which very popular too )

    ReplyDelete
  4. This kozhambu is new to me. Liked it. A thicker version should be good with chappathis, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have mochai at home. Have bookmarked your recipe to try. Kuzhambu looks good.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This a fav at home...An ideal accompaniment for chapathis!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have only made one thing with mochai: http://chefatwork.blogspot.com/2007/09/avrya-bendi.html

    I will try this... will make the hub and me both happy :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. That looks completely delicious, Laavanya! The perfect curry!
    I think mochai beans are the same ones that I know better as vaal. They do have a wonderful creamy texture. I'm going to try this recipe soon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. looks so very creamy, d-lish!
    wow! that must be one spicy dish ;)
    shud work with lima too, right?

    ReplyDelete
  10. All time fav at our home Lavanya..U know in our place we used to make this every thursday.Even now my kids ask this for thursday.Looks Delicious

    ReplyDelete
  11. i've not made anything with these beans before...it sure looks good, and the coconut based gravy mustve been yummy, laavanya! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, I love Avarekalu, got plenty of dry beans although it can't match the taste of fresh ones. Dish looks yum L, must make it but after the vacation!:))

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, I got so hungry looking at that pic... Then reading the ingredients made me want some so bad!!! Looks too good!

    ReplyDelete
  14. yum!! isn;t it funny as we grow up we make sure we get the recipes we love..as kids..all we would do is wish that person makes it for us when we visit them or bug ur mom to make it then complain it is not good :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. That pic is so tempting, Laavanya!! Looks absolutely delicious! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a tempting curry Lavanya! These beans are new to me. I will check if I can find them here.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Never heard of this one before.
    Garlicky goodness! yum!:D

    ReplyDelete
  18. super chef...http://hungerpangs.blogspot.com/2008/06/quirks-and-jal-jeera.html

    ReplyDelete
  19. My Mom used to make this kolambhu especially on saturdays during my schooldays.Its long time since I had this.Your post brought back the memories.I will make it this saturday.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is new to me. Will try it sometime.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Nice one Laavanya. Very famous in South. Viji

    ReplyDelete
  22. it looks awesome. where can i find mochai beans? is it seasonal?

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love this curry. Don't get to eat this much, though!

    ReplyDelete
  24. hey laavanya! theres something lovely for u on my blog!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  25. woo like the any curry which include tamarind...its chatpataa delicious laavanya...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Laavanya-

    never heard of this mochai kozhambu before...seems like a different taste of kozhambu, looks so thick.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Laavanya- this recipe looks delicious and I have to try it. I am not sure I know what mochai beans are, but from your picture I'd guess they are the same as vaal which has a slightly bitter but delectable flavor?

    ReplyDelete
  28. I am not sure what mochai beans are ....but the kuzhambu looks delish

    ReplyDelete
  29. Mochai Kuzhambu is Siv's favorite, he keeps talking about it, I've never had it... :) Now I have a recipe to refer to... Thanks for the entry Laavanya!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Have never tried mochai...looks gr8.Looks gr8, nice pics

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have something for u, check out my blog :))

    ReplyDelete
  32. curry looks soooo delecious lavanya

    ReplyDelete
  33. There is something Waiting for u at my blog :))

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thank you all for your encouraging comments.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for stopping by and providing your valuable feedback. NOTE: I have disabled Anonymous comments (since I was getting a lot of spam).

Popular Posts