“Tingalavro- kooka- Bimbul ghalnu Bendi (Hummana/ Hinga Randai)/ White Beans- Chinese Potato-Tree Sorrel fruit Curry seasoned with Asafoetida” … A delicious spicy aromatic curry from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared when kooka is in season ... tastes best served with rice ... Yummilcious ....
** "Bendi" is a spicy curry that is prepared using either losun (garlic) or hing/ asafoetida for seasoning. This is slightly a spicier dish than hummana though the masala is same except for the spice level. This is one of the favorite curry of Konkani Saraswats and is prepared using both veggies or pulses or sometimes mixture of both. Again, I must mention that for Bendi many people add on the seasoning in raw form, ie. the garlic is either crushed or ground to be added on while hing water and raw coconut oil is added if not garlic depending upon the choice of seasoning preferred.
** While garlic ones are preferred for addition at homes, the hing flavored bendi is usually prepared during festivals in temples or during pooja. As i have mentioned often, I myself am unaware as to why so many names are given to the same dish and in my opinion it is done so as per the locality one stays in over the years. In case of difference of opinion or more knowledge on the same please do let me know, but as for me I would say "what is there in a name" as is famously said, its the taste that matters. After all a rose remains a rose what ever name you refer it with, isn't it???
** For this particular recipe I have used tingalavro/ white beans along with kooka/ chinese potato and bimbul/ sorrel tree fruit, a wonderful combination often prepared in my community especially in Mangalore. I written a lot about bimbul, a fruit– veggie, added on to bring that tartness to dishes in place of tamarind, in case you do not find it or is unavailable just add tamarind while grinding the masala. Do try out this dish when Kooka is in season which is usually winter times and enjoy with your family. I have shared common link to similar recipe at the bottom of this recipe, do browse through.
** Here is my delicious recipe for “Tingalavro- kooka- Bimbul ghalnu Bendi (Hummana/ Hinga Randai)/ White Beans- Chinese Potato- Tree Sorrel fruit Curry seasoned with Asafoetida” ... my style which I learnt from my Amma ...
** Ingredients :
White Beans/ Tingalavro/ Poona Val : 2 cups
Chinese Potato/ Kooka : 5-10 large ones.
Tree Sorrel Fruit/ Bimbul : 3-4 large ones
Asafoetida/ Hing : 1 tblsp if adding hing water or 1 tsp if using powder form
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 1 tblsp
** Masala to be Ground :
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : 2 cups freshly grated.
Red Kashmiri chillies/ Byadgi Mirchi/ Kumte Mirsanga : 8-10
** Wash and soak white beans in plenty of water overnight or for 8 hours. Rinse them in plenty of water and put it in a pressure cooker with water. The level of the water should be about an inch above the level of the white beans. Cover and pressure cook on medium heat till 2 whistles/ till done and keep it aside ready.
** Note : Once the pressure in the cooker falls and you are able to remove the lid, remove and check to see if the beans are cooked. If not pressure cook again to one or two whistles. The cooking time for white beans differs many a times, like if they are not too old stock they cook faster and as they age they take more time. So for the first time when you buy the stock be careful and keep a note on the same, then you can do so as per judgement too, just be careful not to overcook them.
** Wash the Chinese potato with plenty of water or you can soak them in water for 10 minutes which helps in loosening the mud stuck to them, which is what I follow. There is lot of mud stuck to them and you should remove as much as possible. Peel of the skin of the kooka with a peeler and put them in water immediately or else they will discolor. Cut them into pieces if they are too large. We need about ¾ inch piece of the same. You should have about 1 heaped cup after cutting into pieces.
** Wash, trim both side edges of the bimbul and cut them into 3-4 pieces horizontally depending upon its length and keep it ready aside.
** Note : If you do not have access to bimbul (sorrel tree fruit), you can add in either star fruit (karmbala) or hogplum (ambado) too. In case you do not want to add any of the mentioned above veggies, no issues, just add in a small marble sized ball of tamarind (chinchama/ imly) to the masala while grinding which is what most of the time followed as these veggies are not so easily available in Mumbai.
** For Grinding the Masala : Add the coconut, red chillies into mixer grinder and grind to a very smooth paste adding in only that much water how much is required for grinding. The masala should be very fine or else the taste is lost, so do it by adding on little by little water and do not pour in one go.
** In a thick bottomed kadai, add in the kooka/ chinese potato pieces along with a cup of water and bring to boil. Once it comes to an boil, lower the heat and cover with a tight lid and cook till almost done, say about 80%. Now add in the pressure cooked white beans, bimbul pieces, ground masala, salt to taste and mix well. Add in more water as is necessary to bring to semi thick gravy consistency.
** Cook on medium heat till you see bubbles appearing, stirring often to avoid it getting burnt. Lower the heat and cook till the bimbul is cooked well though It hardly takes time. When the curry has been well simmered add in the prepared hing water, coconut oil, mix well and remove from fire. Keep it covered aside for 15 mins for the flavors to seep in. In case you are not using hing powder, heat the coconut oil, when hot add in the hing powder and immediately pour it over the curry.
** Tingalavro- kooka- Bimbul ghalnu Bendi (Hummana/ Hinga Randai)/ White Beans- Chinese Potato- Tree Sorrel fruit Curry seasoned with Asafoetida” is done and ready to be served. Tastes awesome when served with rice or simple flavored rice / pulav. This is one of the famous dish of GSB Konkani Saraswats that is relished almost by all young and old alike. This curry tastes awesome served with shevai, appo, Idly too, try it I am sure you will love it. Having said that you can serve it with roti/ chapati in which case remember to keep the curry slightly thick textured or any other dish of your choice.
** For Preparing of Hing / Asafoetida Water From Gummy Hing : Hing water is prepared by putting a small marble sized gummy hing (available in South Indian Stores) into a glass bottle and adding about a small cup of boiled and cooled water to it. Within a few hours the hing will slowly melt and you will get a thick whitish liquid. This is hing water. You can keep this in the fridge and use sparingly as and when needed. We GSB / Saraswat Konkani people usually prepare the same and keep it in the fridge always and use the same for dal, patrado or any other humman etc. If you do not have the gummy hing, no issues, you can add hing / asafoetida powder in which case always add it into the hot oil while tempering to get a good aroma.
** You can check out on more similar recipes of "Bendi/ Hummana/ Hinga Randai" both veg and non veg on the links shared below ....
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