Avarekaalu Saaru Ingredients for Avarekalu Saaru:

Avarekalu Beans 4 cups, in all (shelled and pressure cooked with salt) Tamarind puree 3-4 tbsps Rasam Powder 2 tsps Coriander/Cilantro a sprig, finely chopped Water 2-3 cups Salt to taste

For the Masala:

Channa Dal 3 tsps Urad Dal 1 tsp Dhaniya (Coriander) seeds 1 tsp Methi seeds 1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds 1 tsp Black Pepper corns 1/2 tsp (adjust to suit your taste since red chillies are being added too) Selam Chillies (hot variety) 2 nos Byadgi Chillies 2 nos (these add more colour than spicyness to your dish) Asafoetida 1 pinch Cooking Oil 1/2 tsp Ginger 1/2 piece Garlic 5-6 pods (adjust to suit your taste) Grated Coconut 4 tbsps Avarekalu Beans 1/2 cup (shelled and pressure cooked with salt)

For the Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Asafoetida a pinch

Ghee 1/2 tsp

Procedure for Avarekalu Saaru:

In a wok, boil the tamarind puree, rasam powder, salt and water together for 2 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups of the cooked avarekalu beans and coriander. Allow to boil on a low flame. In the meanwhile, fry together all the masala ingredients in a wok except the last 4 ingredients (ginger, garlic, grated coconut and 1/2 cup cooked avarekalu beans), on a low flame till the daals turn golden brown. Allow to cool. Grind together all the fried masala ingredients with ginger, garlic, grated coconut and 1/2 cup avarekalu beans, with as less water as possible. Keep aside. Once you see a froth collecting on the surface of the saaru in the wok, add the ground masala paste. Stir well so that no lumps are formed. Continue to boil on a low flame for about 10-15 minutes or till the saaru turns into a bubbly liquid. Prepare a tempering with the mustard seeds, asafoetida and ghee. Pour over the saaru and stir well. Serve hot with raagi mudde!