JEEV AVARE GHASHI

JEEV AVARE GHASHI

Today's recipe is for a dish from Konkani cuisine which we call Jeev Avare Ghashi. In this, "Jeev Avare" means Fresh Hyacinth Beans in Konkani. We make this whenever hyacinth beans (called Avarekalu in Kannada, Mochakottai in Tamil and Surti Papdi in Hindi)  are available.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for other dishes made with hyacinth beans, such as Avarekalu Saagu, Avarekalu Menthya Akki Rotti, and Avarekalu Uppitu.

Avare Ghashi can also be made using dry hyacinth beans which are soaked overnight. In today's version,  Jeev Avare Ghashi, we use fresh hyacinth beans.

I find it useful to add a little raw rice while grinding the coconut gratings etc as you get a masala of a better texture.

Ingredients:-

• Jeev Avaro ( Fresh Hyacinth Beans), 1 and 1/2 cups
• Medium sized Potatoes, cooked and cubed, 2
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8, or to taste
• Tamarind, a small marble sized ball
• Raw Rice, 1 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, lightly crushed, 8-10
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for seasoning, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash, peel, and cook the hyacinth beans in adequate water, adding a little salt, in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles or till they are done

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked beans

Drain the excess water, keeping some of the stock aside for use later. Keep the cooked beans aside

In a mixer, grind together the coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind and raw rice to a smooth paste using the required amount of water. (You could use some of the stock retained earlier from the cooked hyacinth beans) 

In a pan, add the cooked potatoes and hyacinth beans and to this add the ground paste, salt to taste and mix well

Add enough water to give the ghashi a curry like consistency and bring it to boil

Lower the flame and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes

Heat oil in a small pan and when it gets hot add the lightly crushed garlic cloves and saute till the garlic turns a golden brown and gives off a good aroma

Pour this garlic seasoning on the ghashi and serve hot