Hyacinth beans curry / Mochakottai kuzhambu

Hyacinth beans is referred as Mochakottai in Tamil. Other common names for this hyacinth beans are lablab bean, Indian bean. These beans are rich in iron, copper, zinc and protein. This curry is easy to prepare and its filling. Its an apt curry for rice but also goes well with idli, dosa and roti.

For other gravy/curry recipes for rice, refer here

Ingredients:

Dry hyacinth beans – 100 gms

Shallots – 10 nos

Tomato – 3 nos

Homemade curry powder – 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Tamarind pulp – 1/4 cup

Coconut paste – 1/4 cup

Water – 2 cups (approx)

For tempering:

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Uradh dhal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Shallots – 3 to 4 nos

Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the dry hyacinth beans overnight for about 8 hrs.
2. Rinse and then add the hyacinth beans in a pressure cooker.
3. Along with the hyacinth beans, add 1/2 tsp of homemade curry powder, 2 cups water and little salt.
4. Close the lid of the cooker and cook in high flame for 5 whistles until soft but not mushy.
5. Once the hyacinth beans is cooked, add the following ingredients in the same cooker along with the cooked beans: whole shallots, chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp of homemade curry powder, tamarind pulp and little salt.
6. Then close the lid of cooker and cook for 3 whistle in high flame.
7. Once done, the add the coconut paste to it and allow it to boil for a minute and switch off the flame. Now the curry is ready.
8. Now heat the sesame oil and add the items for tempering one by one and fry till the shallots turn golden brown.
9. Add the tempered items to the curry.
10. Mochakottai kuzhambu / Hyacinth beans curry is ready to be served with rice.