Gorikai Palya Recipe | Jawalikai Palya | Gawar sabzi : North Karnataka Style

 How to make cluster bean dry sabzi? 
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To know more about cluster bean/guwar refer here. Cluster beans are rich in fiber. They act as good laxative. They control the blood pressure, and good for diabetic patients too. There are numerous health benefits of cluster beans. You could read more about them here.

My mom makes gorikai masale palya which we all like. Other than that, I make this gorikai bhath. During a casual talk with my neighbor I asked her what else I could make with the cluster beans. She gave me this recipe & I prepared it the same evening. I liked the simplicity of this dish & it hardly takes any time to get it done.

She is from Raichur,  and this is how she and her mom makes the gorikai palya.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-25 mins
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
Cluster bean | Gorikai : 1 lb
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 3-4 nos, torn
Red chilli powder: 1/2- 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder: a pinch

Roasted peanut powder: about 1/4 cup
Salt: As needed

Method:

Trim the edges of the cluster bean & chop them fine.

Add oil to a pressure cooker. When oil is hot, throw in the mustard seeds & cumin seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add in the curry leaves. When leaves wilt, throw in the chopped cluster beans, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric powder & mix.

Add about 1/4 cup of water to the cluster bean mixture & pressure cook in medium-high heat for it for 1 whistle. We do not want any water to be left after the vegetable is cooked. Hence add little water!

Allow the pressure to be released. Add in the roasted peanut powder & mix.
Serve it hot/warm with rice or roti.

Notes: 

• Instead of using the pressure cooker, you could even cook it using the stove top method. The cooking time will increase if you are not using a pressure cooker. And you might need more water too!
• As it's a dry sabzi, do not add too much water while cooking. We need very little water. 
• This is a basic North Karnataka Style palya recipe. You could make similar palya with other vegetables like ivy gourd / thondekai / tendli or french beans too.
• You could adjust the peanut powder according to your preference. 

Gorikayi Bhath (Spicy Cluster beans rice)

This is a traditional Karnataka dish which is a very similar to the famous 'Vangi bhath'. The spice powder mentioned here is also a close second to the vangi bhath powder. You can use the same powder for vangi bhath too.
Gorikai/Gorikayi/Javalikayi : Kannada
Cluster beans: English
Gawaar: Hindi & Marathi. For other language translations, refer here.

Ingredients:
Rice: 2 cups
Gorikayi/Gorikai/Cluster beans/Guar: 2 cups (finely chopped)
Peas: A fistful or approximately 1/2 cup (optional)
Jaggery: A big pinch (optional)
Tamarind: 1 or 1.5 tsp (extract thick juice)
Oil: 1 tsp
Salt: According to taste.

For spice powder:
Gram dal/Channa dal: 2 tsp
Urad dal: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds/dhania: 1/2 tsp
Red chillies: 4-5 (I normally use 2 spicier chillies & 3 Kashmiri chillies for color)
Cinnamon: 1inch stick
Cardamom: 1 no
Marati moggu: 1 no
Cloves: 3 nos

For tempering:

Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Peanuts/Groundnuts: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves: 8-10 ( 2 strings)
Red chilli: 1 no (broken)
Asafoetida: A pinch

For garneshing:
Grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Method:
Step 1: Prepare the rice by adding double the amount of water & allow it to cool.
Step 2: Meantime, heat oil on a broad pan. When oil is hot, add the finely chopped cluster beans & saute for a minute. Add few drops of oil & let it cook. When the beans are half cooked, add the peas & cook until both are soft yet crunchy.
Step 3: Paralelly when the beans are getting cooked, prepare the spice powder. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for the spice powder & allow it to cool. When it is cool, prepare a powder out of it & scoop out the powder.
Step 4: Boil the tamarind juice for a minute. This is done to remove the raw smell of the tamarind. The juice thickens. Keep it aside.
Step 5: When the beans are cooked, add the spice powder (around a tbsp of the powder should be sufficient) & salt. Mix well & turn off the flame.
Step 6: Prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add peanuts. Roast till the peanuts are golden brown. Add the curry leaves, asafoetida, red chilli & cook for 3-5 secs. Turn off the flame.
Step 7: Spread the rice in broad vessel (the rice must have reached the room temperature). Add the cooked spicier beans (cooked at step 5), tamarind paste (step 4), tempering (step 6) to the rice. Adjust the salt (note you have added salt to the beans already). Add the grated coconut, coriander leaves & mix the rice thoroughly. Serve it warm or at room temperature. Enjoy it with a raitha/papad or as is.

Tips:

• Tamarind extract can be replaced with lemon juice too, however the authentic taste comes from the tamarind.
• Replace fresh grated coconut with dry coconut/copra, if you wish to preserve this rice for a day or two.
• Excess spice powder can be preserved in air tight containers for later use.
• For quicker version, MTR vangi bhath powder can be used to prepare this dish.