“Spicy Tingalavro- Piyavu- Tomato Songa (White Beans- Onion- Tomato Curry)” … a delicious spicy dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine that can be prepared in various combinations both with veg. and non.veg dishes … traditionally served as a side dish with dalitoy- sheetHa (dal- chawal) though it tastes great served with chapathi, parathas, roti, dosa, panpolo (neer dosa), idly or any mildly spiced rice dishes like pulav, ghee rice … my favorite combo from childhood to date is served with shevai (idiyappam/ string hoppers) ... Yummilicious …
** All those who follow my simple blog largely based on GSB Konkani Saraswat recipes are aware that “Songa” is not actually not a reference to singing but is a spicy traditional dish that I have posted many times in various combinations. This dish can be prepared both Veg and Non.Veg. and I am sharing a common link to it at the bottom of this recipe. Do browse through the same for more choice of combinations to try out from. I am sure you will find many that are to your family liking, so do give them a try.
** The recipe for songa is same except for few variations in preparation. You just need to change the pattern of cooking at times depending upon the Veggie used as cooking time differ. Here I have prepared with tingalavro/ white beans with onions and tomatoes. I served it with rice for meals followed by panpolo (neer dosa) for breakfast next day, a combination which we love to relish. However, the best and most sought after combo is of songa served with shevai, something we love in our family from childhood.
** Do try it out and enjoy with your family and friends, you can serve it as side dish with any dish of your choice, I am sure you will think of your own choice of combinations too as per your community preferences which I may not be knowing of. I must mention here that this is supposed to be a very spicy dish, however with changing times people have begun to adjust it accordingly especially if there are young children at home. You can add on potato if desired too, as children always prefer them in dishes.
** Here is the link to the simple method for preparation of “Spicy Tingalavro- Piyavu- Tomato Songa (White Beans- Onion- Tomato Curry)” … My Style ….
** Ingredients :
Tingalavro/ White Beans/ Navy Beans : 1 cup
Onions/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 2 large sized
Tomatoes : 2 large sized
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder or any Mirchi Powder : 1 tsp.
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh ones.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste only if required
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 4-5 tblsp.
** For the Ground Masala :
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : ¼ cup freshly grated.
Kashmiri Red Chillies/ Lal Sukhi Mirchi : 15-20.
Coriander/ Kothimbir/ Dhana Seeds : 2-3 tsp.
Tamarind/ Imli/ Chinchama : Just a small pinch.
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 1 tsp.
** Wash and soak Tingalavro/ White Beans overnight or for 8-10 hours in plenty of water. Drain, rinse and pressure cooker with enough water say about an inch above level of the pulses to 1-2 whistles. Remove and let rest for the pressure to fall by itself. Open and check if cooked, if not you can pressure cook to another whistle. The cooking time varies depending on pulses, usually 1-2 whistles are enough.
** Note : Soaking of Tingalavro/ White Beans is a procedure you must follow. Soaking of pulses/ beans etc. doubles them in size, turns it softer, releases nutrients stored within when cooked, cooks fast and is easy to digest. Some people just add them into pressure cooker along with cooking soda and pressure cook them to more whistles in order to cook them soft, which in my opinion is highly avoidable. Cooking soda is not very good for health and its consumption should be limited to only when necessary is what my Amma used to say. So prepare ahead by soaking and enjoy health benefits.
** Peel off the outer skin of onions and cut them into 1 inch sized cubes and keep it aside ready. Wash, wipe dry and cut tomatoes also into 1 inch sized cubes of the same size as that of onions and keep it also ready aside separately.
** For the Masala : In a small pan fry heat the oil and fry the coriander seeds until lightly colored then add the dry chillies (plus or minus as per individual taste) and fry for another minute or so only. Now add them into a mixer grinder along with grated coconut, tamarind and grind to a paste with as little water as possible. If not adding on tomatoes increase the amount of tamarind while grinding to double. Prepare the masala and keep it ready aside before we begin to prepare the songa. You can use the pressure cooked tingalavro water while grinding the masala which is what I always follow.
** Note : You can leave out addition of tomatoes in which case you need to increase the amount of tamarind to a small marble sized ball while grinding. I have added only a pinch of tamarind as the tomatoes we get in Mumbai are not that tart in taste. Here, I have added the tomatoes and tamarind in right proportion to impart perfect balance of tartness to songa which is needed as this is a very spicy dish.
** Note : For preparation of curries you can use any one of the tart tasting fruit/ veggie mentioned like, bimbul (tree sorrel fruit), ambado (Hog Plum), karmbala (carmbola/ starfruit), ambuli (raw mango), harvo tomato (raw- green tomato), ripe tomato, dried kokum, kudampuli etc. as is available region wise. In case you do not have access to any one of them or they are not available or if you do not want to use them for any reason, do not worry, you can add small marble sized piece of tamarind (chinchama/ Imly) while grinding masala which is what is followed in GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine.
** To prepare the curry : Heat the oil in a thick bottomed kadai/ pan, when hot add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add curry leaves, stir for a second and then add in the cubed onions. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute or two and then lower the heat to medium and fry until the onions turn pinkish/ translucent. Lower the heat to minimum, add in the chilly powder and fry for a few seconds only.
** Now add cubed tomatoes, mix well, cover and continue to cook until just done say about 3-4 minutes only stirring a few times in between. Do not overcook the tomatoes or turn them mushy as the taste of the songa will then be lost, however see to it that the tomatoes are cooked well. Finally add the ground masala, mix well and fry on low heat for a good 3-4 minutes, ie until the masala is cooked well.
** Note : At any point of time be it when adding the chilly powder or ground masala later, if you find that they are being too dry or is getting burnt at the bottom, you can add a little bit of water and continue to fry. However, be careful with addition of the water as the gravy of songa/ curry is supposed to a thick textured one.
** Note : Addition of chilly powder can be skipped as traditional recipes does not call for it. However, adding a little bit of kashmiri red chilly powder in oil always imparts a lovely color to the dish, so I always make it a point to add it on. You may leave out the step if you do not like or need it as per your choice.
** Now add in salt to taste, the pressure cooked tingalavro/ white beans and mix well. Be careful when adding the pressure cooked tingalavro if there is excess water in it. You keep it aside to be added on later if need be. Cook on medium heat stirring well in between until you see bubbles appearing on the surface of the curry.
** Lower the heat to minimum, cover and continue cooking for another 5-8 minutes, stirring often in between to avoid it being burnt until well cooked. Remove from fire and keep aside covered for 15-20 minutes to rest for the flavors to be infused. Songa is a thick textured curry and on resting, it may tend to be thickened, in which case if desired you can add some hot water and mix well just before serving.
** “Spicy Tingalavro- Piyavu- Tomato Songa (White Beans- Onion- Tomato Curry)” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served as side dish with dalitoy (spiced tuvar dal) and sheetHa (rice) during meals. However, this is one of those curries that goes well served with any dish be it chapathi, prathas, roti, dosa, idly or any mildly spiced rice dishes like pulav, ghee rice and in my home I always make it a point to keep some aside to be served with panpolo (neer dosa) for breakfast the next morning.
** One of the most sought after or should I say loved combo by GSB Saraswats is Songa served with Shevai/ Idiyappam/ String hoppers. Amma always prepared them in combo and in my family, all of us siblings have loved this combo from childhood and continued the patter even now after almost 4 decades. You must try it also, I have shared that combination before which you will find when you browse through the common link shared at the bottom of this recipe, I am sure it will be loved by all.
** Sharing a common link to all “Songa” recipes both Veg. and Non-Vegetarian shared in the Blog before, You may browse through the same in leisure and try out any, they are all tasty ... do remember to give me a feedback … thank you …
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