Avarakkai Kootu | Broad Beans Recipes

Avarakkai kootu recipe is one of the popular broad beans recipes from south Indian cuisine. You can make this kootu with any type of broad beans. This kootu tastes wonderful with steamed rice or you can also serve this as side dish with rasam rice. Here is how to make delicious and comforting avarakkai kootu recipe with step by step photos.

Kootu is a south Indian staple recipe made with veggies. It is a cross between gravy ans stew with thicker consistency. We make various types of kootu recipes like keerai kootu, cabbage kootu, spinach kootu.

There are various ways to make kootu. You can make it with or without coconut, lentils etc. Here I have made this avarakkai kootu with a freshly made spice paste. This is a spicy and flavorful kootu perfect for a cold day. But you can easily adjust the spice level while serving for toddlers and kids.

Indian Broad Beans Recipes

Broad beans is known as avarakkai in Tamil, val papdi in Hindi and it is used various Indian recipes. In north India surti papdi sabzi is a very special winter delicacy.

In south Indian cuisine we use broad beans or flat beans to make poriyal, in sambar, kootu, paruppusili.

Broad beans recipes are very healthy and rich in fibre. It is a good idea to include this vegetable in the diet of toddlers and kids.

How To Make Avarakkai Kootu?

Making avarakkai kootu recipe is very easy and quick. Most of the cooking happens in pressure cooker.

Start by cooking lentils, chopped broad beans with a pinch of tumreric powder in a pressure cooker. While the vegetable is cooking, fry urad dal, cumin seeds, peppercorns and coconut in a tablespoon of oil. Grind this into a coarse paste or powder.

Add the prepared spice paste to the cooked vegetable, add salt and bring to a boil. In a small pan heat 2 teaspoons oil and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilies and add to the kootu. Mix well and remove from flame.

Now this is the traditional recipe for avarakkai kootu with coconut. You can also make this broad beans kootu without coconut or lentils. Please find the instructions below.

Avarakai kootu without dal

If you want to make this kootu without lentils, just leave them out from the recipe. Cook broad beans in required water, add the spice paste and do the tempering.

Avarakkai kootu without coconut

To make avarakkai kootu without coconut, you can either make the spice paste with just urad dal and umin seeds or just add sambar powder for seasoning the kootu instead of spice paste.

Serve avarakkai kootu with rice, rasam and vadam.

How To Make Avarakkai Kootu Step by Step

Rinse, remove the tough strings and chop the broad beans finely.

Add the chopped beans to a pressure cooker along with rinsed dal and a pinch of turmeric powder. Close and pressure cook for 4-6 whistles.

In the mean time heat a tablespoon oil in a pan. Add urad dal, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and grated coconut.

Saute well till the coconut and dal turns golden brown. Remove to a plate and let cool. Grind to a coarse paste.

Once the pressure settles down, open the cooker and add the prepared spice paste. Season with salt.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small pan. Temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, green chilies, red chili, curry leaves and peanuts.

Add this to the prepared kootu and mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Avarakkai Kootu Recipe

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