Vaalache Bhirde

This recipe is from my favourite blogger One Hot Stove, who  has a wonderful way with words and definately with food. I imagine her kitchen to always smell of mouth watering food, storage filled with goodies and garden lush green with herbs, vegetables and magic bean plant.

The recipe for Vaalache Bhirde is so clearly given and easy to follow it just makes one squeak in pleasure!

The only cumbersome part was the wait for Vaal to sprout.

Sprouting the vaal

I soaked about 2 cups of Vaal in water for about 18 hours and then tied them in a damp cheese cloth for 2 days. I kept sprinkling some water on the bag so the cloth was moist all throughout to help the sprouting.

The tiny sprouts shoot right from the cloth and you can heave a sigh of relief :)

You will have to peel the cover of these Vaal seeds, which comes off fairly easily. I did enjoy doing that one evening while being perched in front of my telly. Make sure to throw away the discolored ones.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp of tamarind soaked in warm water for 10-15 min

Half cup of oil

2 Onions chopped in chunks

2 Garlic cloves crushed/chopped

2 Green chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafoetida

5-6 curry leaves

1tsp Tumeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander and cumin powder

1 tsp of jaggery

1 cup dessicated/frozen coconut

Recipe

Extract the juice from the tamarind and throw away the rest

Make a coconut paste as follows

Fry 1 large onion cut in large chunks until slightly browned. Add garlicand coconut alongwith green . Stir around until coconut is fragrant, then blend to a fine paste using a little water as required. 

 In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Temper the oil with mustard seeds, tsp cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Add 1 small onion, minced finely and fry it for a few seconds. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt to taste.
Add the peeled sprouts and stir well. Add 1/2 cup water, cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are just tender.
Add the coconut paste, tamarind extract and of jaggery. The tamarind and jaggery take out the bitter taste fromt he sprouts. Add some water if the curry looks too thick, i liked mine a bit thick. Simmer the curry for 10 minutes. Taste for the balance of flavors and add a little more tamarind/jaggery/salt if required.
Garnish with minced cilantro.

Happy Cooking!