Cluster beans, known as Mattikaya in Telugu and Kothavarakkai in Tamil is popular in the north as Guar. In Malayalam, we just call it Kothavarakka, a slight variation in pronunciation from what its called in Tamil. I am a little confused about what Chitkaya/Chikkadikaya is? Is it another name for the vegetable in Telugu?
Anyway, I got a pack of it in the Indian store and immediately grabbed it, thinking I will try what my mom normally makes with it – an avial or a in a tangy gravy with ground coconut and tomatoes.
In the end, I ended up making a quick stir fry of it with elephant yam (chena). The combination turned out to be a winner and we loved it!
Clustered Beans Indian-Style with Yam
Ingredients:
Cluster beans – 2 cups, cut into 1″ pieces
Yam – 1 cup, cubed
Coconut – 4 tbsp, grated (optional)
Chopped garlic – 2 tsp
Shallots – 4
Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
How I Made It:
1. Cook the cluster beans and yam separately in water till they are tender. Cooking them together will make the yam bitter. The water used to cook the cluster beans should not be used since it will be bitter.
2. Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry the garlic and shallots. Then add the coriander, chilly and jeera powders and fry for another 30 seconds.
3. Mix in the coconut, yam and beans with some salt and leave it on sim for 4-5 minutes.Serve hot with rice and gravy.
Related Posts:
Broad Beans with Lentils
Beans Carrot Thoran
Mochakottai Sundal
Beans Usili
Avial
that is one good combo! the veg looks very appetising 🙂
Like chena a lot. Use it mainly for mezhukuparati.:D
I tried this and it came out good… Thanks…i used a little bit of khus khus and it came out crunchy….Karpore
this is an unusual combination. we call cluster beans kothamarakkya and make the usual thoran, aviyal and sambhar with it. I also make a maharashtrian version with peanuts! in marathi cluster beans are called gavar phali, i think.
Sig – yeah! I know what you mean. i just got lucky with the lighting for this one 🙂
We would like to feature this recipe on our blog. Please email sophiekiblogger@gmail.com if interested. Thanks 🙂
It is so hard to make Thoran look good, but you have succesfully accomplished that! 🙂
Hi This is my first visit to your blog,you have a very nice one,I have never tried kothavarangai with yam,normally we make usili with this 🙂
cluster beans is my grandpa’s fav veggie, although I dont cook this much…nice one
Good Recipe of Cluster beans with yam
Sis from T.N is not a fan of this veg..but you make me drool over over wonderful pictures and recipe!..
Everything abt your blog rocks!!!Keep it up..