Alasande aka yard long bean is very popular and one of the age old cultivated crops of Mangalore coast. It is tender, immature pods of black eye pea. In rainy season, most of the vegetable kitchen gardeners grow this super tasty veggie for day to day use.
Immature pods are one of the favourite food for little birds as well. It is a low calorie, high in fibre vegetable and tastes little sweetish and texture is little chewy and watery.
Alasande side dish is one of the very popular dishes during the festivities- either in weddings, festival cooking or day to day cooking. For day to day cooking, we normally toss this veggie with mild seasoning and for festivity cooking, we use coconut masala. Today I am going to share the recipe of my house hold which my family relishes whenever I prepare.
Ingredients:
Alasande / Yard long beans – 500 grams
Red chilli powder – ½ tea spoon
Turmeric – ½ tea spoon
Salt
Jaggery – 1 tea spoon
For seasoning:
Coconut oil – 1 table spoon
Mustard – 1 tea spoon
Urad dal – 1 tea spoon
Red chilli – 1 (optional)
Curry leaves – 1 spring
For Masala:
Coconut – ¼ cup
Roasted Byadagi Red chillies – 2 to 3
Cumin – 1 tea spoon
Tamarind – ½ tea spoon
Method:
-Wash, remove two ends of yard long beans and chop as required.
-Dry grind coconut with roasted chillies, cumin and tamarind for masala and keep aside.
-Now take one kadai, heat oil for seasoning, splutter mustard, add urad dal. If you are adding red chilli add that as well.
-When urad dal becomes red, add curry leaves, chopped beans, turmeric, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder and toss for two minutes.
-Add one small cup of water and cook until it is soft and firm.
-Add dry ground masala and mix everything. Keep it covered for two to three minutes and switch off the gas.
-Serve with hot rice or with thali as a side dish.
