Vanchina Charu and Moong beans Fry

Ingredients for Vanchina Charu:

• 1 cup Whole Green moong
• 2 cups Beans cut 1" pieces
• 1/2 cup Onion chopped
• 6 Dry red chillies
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp Pepper corns
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1 cup Shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 big Tomato
• 1 lemon size Tamarind
• 1/2 tsp Jaggery
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the green moong and put in a pressure cooker. Add chopped beans to it.
2. Pour enough water for the moong to cook. Add little salt, mix well.
3. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
4. Now strain the water from the cooked moong and beans. Keep this water aside.
5. Now heat a pan, add fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, pepper corns, curry leaves and coconut.
6. Dry roast all these ingredients together until nice aroma is released. Do not burn them.




Vanchina Charu


7. Remove and allow to cool.
8. Now in a mixie jar add tomato, tamarind, coriander leaves, garlic, turmeric powder, jaggery and the roasted ingredients.
9. Grind to a very fine paste adding water in between.
10. Now heat a sauce pan add oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add onion and fry well.
11. Now add the grounded paste and pour the water collected from cooked moong and beans.
12. If the gravy is still thick dilute by adding more water.
13. This gravy/charu should be watery.
14. Add salt and allow to boil.
15. Transfer to serving bowl and keep aside.

Ingredients for Moong and beans fry:

• 1/2 cup Onion chopped
• 4 Dry red chillies broken
• 2 Curry leaves
• 1 clove Garlic crushed
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Urad dal
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Cooked moong and beans
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add urad dal, red chillies, onion, curry leaves and garlic.
2. Fry them all well.
3. Add chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
4. Saute it and add the cooked moong and beans.
5. Add coriander leaves and salt, gently mix them.
6. Add little salt as we have added salt when pressure cooking.

7. Now transfer to a serving bowl.
8. Now serve along with chapati, hot vanchina charu, steamed rice, papad and ghee.

Note:

1. Vanchina Charu means strained water curry (water collected from cooked vegetables).
2. Cook any vegetables and strain its water to make this Charu. Spinach is used often.
3. While cooking green moong, do not over cook, it will turn mushy.