Val seeds(avarekai) Usal

Winter is the season of fresh Avarekai (Val beans) and I got my hand on really fresh beans. This Usal or gravy goes very well with Bhakari, Phulka or Rice and is full of flavours. As always with very few ingredients and no long text, let's get started with the recipe itself. This is quick recipe that you can make even on a busy day if the seeds are already removed from beans and kept ready. So I have customised/shortened steps to cook val seeds, making gravy etc.

Ingredients:
1. One bowl full of fresh Val (pavate val/chapte val/avaerkai) seeds 
2. 1 medium-sized onion
3. 1 large tomato

4. 6-7 garlic cloves

5. 1 inch piece of ginger

6. 1 green chilli

7. 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder

8. 1-1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

9. 1/2 tbsp garam masala

10. Salt to taste

11. 1/2 tsp each rai, jeera

12. 3 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Add the fresh val seeds in a bowl, add pinch of salt and 1/2 cup water. Pressure cook it for 1 whistle. Release the pressure and keep the cooked val seeds aside

2. Roughly chop onion, tomato, ginger ad garlic and add it to mixer jar and make fine puree of it.

3. In a pan heat oil and add the rai, jeera, chopped green chilli and as it crakles, add the puree

4. Add all masalas like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well

5. Let the gravy fry for few minutes till oil seperates

6. Now add the cooked vaal beans to it. fry for 1-2 minutes and add water to adjusr usal/gravy consistency. Let it boil for another few minites and turn off heat.

Server hot with phulka, bhakari or rice. You can also garnish with fresh coriander leaves and freshmly grated coconut.