Vellapayar – Vellarikka Curry / Black Eyed Beans – Yellow Cucumber Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup vellapayar / black eyed beans
1 vellarikka / yellow cucumber ( 2 cups), peeled and cubed
1 1/2-2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green chillies, slit
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup grated coconut
1 tsp fennel seeds
3-4 shallots
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
salt to taste
oil

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak black eyed beans in water for 3-4 hours.
2. Heat a pan and add the grated coconut along with fennel seeds and shallots and dry roast till brown. Then grind it to a fine paste adding little water and keep it aside.
3. Cook the soaked beans/ payar in a pressure cooker with chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, onion, tomato,garlic and salt adding enough water for 2 whistles.
4. Then add vellarikka pieces to this and cook for 1-2 whistles.
5. Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked black eyed beans, mix well and allow it to boil at medium flame. Adjust the salt and switch off the flame.
6. Heat oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chillies and curry leaves and pour this over the curry…Serve with rice/ pathiri etc…