Cluster Beans Garlic Rice.

Cluster Beans Garlic Rice …. A spicy garlic flavoured rice prepared with Mitkesanga / Cluster Beans / Gawaar / Guwaar Phali / Gorikayi / Javalikayi ….. that is just right for dinner to keep it light and tasty. A dish similar to spiced rice like our very own chitranna but I have given my own twist, flavored it with garlic and added in the veggie and it tastes simply awesome … Do try this one out … Sure to win hearts … Yummy … 

The heat keeps on increasing in Mumbai and it is difficult to have good full meals be it at lunch time or dinner. Dinner is always a little bit lighter in my home, not to mention when the temperatures are soaring higher. But then the food has to tickle the taste buds too. I love chitranna or spiced rices as they are awesome to have on their own without needing any other dishes as accompaniment. I make them enough spicy to be enjoyed on its own. I had loads of cluster beans / mitkesanga which has to consumed fast lest it always gets spoilt. I had already finished preparing songa a spicy dish that can be served as accompaniment with rice and dalitoy which I have already posted. Starting my own food group “Konkani Delicacies” hardly gives me time now and sometimes blogging gets bogged down by other pressures. As the venture is new, I have to give more time to ward off teething troubles. If you would like to join just check on the right hand corner of the blog for the label and click on to the same and send in you request. We have many members who post really awesome food and you can enjoy them too the same. Moving on to the Garlic flavoured rice ….

Ingredients:

Rice : 1 cup 

Cluster Beans : 100 gms

Peanuts : ½ cup (roasted)

Garlic : 6-8

Turmeric / Haldi Powder : ½ tsp

Curry Leaves : 8-10 

Tamarind : Small amla sized 

Salt to taste

Oil as required

For Masala :

Coconut : 1 cup

Red Chillies : 6-8

Urad Dal : 1 tsp

Chana Dal : 2 tsp

Coriander Seeds : 2 tsp

Jeera : 1 tsp

Methi : 1/8 tsp

Garlic : 5-6

To cook Rice : I used normal Surti Kolam Rice. You can use any rice available to you. Bring 6 cups of water to boil, wash rice well and cook in the water adding a pinch of salt till 80% done. Remove and pour out the hot water. Add in plenty of cool water and strain the rice. This is done to arrest further cooking of the rice. Spread the rice in a plate and allow to cool. You may use the pressure cooker method too. In which case add 1.5 cups of water to the rice and pressure cook to 4 whistles. Open the lid and allow to cool properly by spreading on a plate. 

Soak the tamarind in ½ cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Allow to cool a little bit and then squeeze in well to extract the tamarind juice. Strain the juice and discard the residue. 

Snip of the ends of the cluster beans / mitkesanga and cut them into small pieces. Wash in plenty of water and cook them in little bit of water to which a pinch of salt and tamarind water is added. Cover and cook till done and the water has all been absorbed. Do not add in more water than is necessary while cooking as we need only the cooked cluster beans. 

In a kadai add in 2 tsp of oil, when hot add in garlic and fry till light brown in colour, now add in the roasted peanuts, curry leaves and haldi powder and fry for a few minutes. Lastly add in the cluster beans cooked in tamarind water and mix well. Remove from fire and let cool of completely. 

For the Masala : In a kadai add in 1 tblsp of oil, when hot add in urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, jeera, methi and fry for a minute. Now add in the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add in the red chillies cutting them into small pieces and fry further. Lastly add in the coconut and fry till light brown in colour. Remove and grind to semi coarse powder till all ingredients are well blended. Do not add water at all. We just need powdered paste and not liquefied. Check the picture added. 

In a flat large bowl, add in the Rice, seasoned cluster beans and the ground masala and mix well very lightly. Do not at any point add pressure which may mash the cooked rice. You should mix all very lightly but at the same time see to it that all the ingredients have mixed in properly. Check and add in salt to taste if necessary, remember we have added salt before, so be careful. Serve this immediately once its mixed at room temperature. You may serve some chutney or salad along with the same. I however, enjoy this as it is without any accompaniment. A delicious garlic spiced rice with added on veggies which makes it that much more tastier. Enjoy the dish with family and friends.