Channa Cluster Beans Masala / Channa Kothavarangai Masala

Cluster beans / Guar beans is a low calorie vegetable with abundant minerals, vitamins, protein and fibre. It has low glycemic index, thus good for diabetic people. It's a good laxative; flushes toxins from the stomach and improves the digestive system.

Cluster beans have a little bitter taste, so I paired it with channa to reduce the bitterness. Channa cluster beans masala tasted delicious with chapatti and onion raita.

Channa Cluster Beans Masala /

Channa Kothavarangai Masala /

Channa Guar Beans Masala

Serving : 5

Ingredients

Channa - 1 cup (dry)

Cluster Beans / Kothavarangai / Guar Beans - 200 gms

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

For tempering

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon stick 1" piece - 1

Cardamom - 1

Bay leaf - 1

Preparation Method

1. Soak channa for 8 hrs or overnight. In a pressure cooker, add soaked channa, salt and water just enough to cover the channa. Cook it for 10 minutes and keep aside.

2. Puree tomato and keep aside.

3. In a kadai, heat oil and add the ingredients mentioned under tempering.

4. When the cloves crackle, add finely chopped onions and sauté till they turn translucent.

5. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of ginger goes and a nice aroma comes.

6. Add the chopped cluster beans and sauté for a minute.

7. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Sauté for a minute.

8. Add little water, cover and cook till cluster beans are half cooked.

9. Add tomato puree, cook till the raw smell goes and oil separates on the top of the gravy.

10. Add cooked channa along with the water that was used to cook it.

11. Sauté till the water evaporates or till the desired consistency of the gravy is reached.

12. This can be served as a dry preparation or as semi gravy.

13. Garnish with coriander leaves and chopped raw onions.

14. Serve with chapatti and onion raita.