Ankurit Kadve Vaalachi Usal & Jowar Roti..Lablab bean curry and Sorghum Bread

Hi!

Those who are regular readers to my blog can sense my health freak attitude these days. Yes, I’m undoubtedly, now a days very health conscious and calorie conscious.Junk food is a complete no, no, except on very rare occasions. I’m just back from a small vacation at S’s hometown, where I attended my nephew’s Munji (thread ceremony) and S’s friend’s wedding. So, I do not have to tell you that for a few days I did over indulge but to my delight, after returning back, it did not show on my weighing scale.

One can also read in my blog, my insistence on making Jowar Rotis these days. Jowar/ Sorghum is a grain with low glycemic index and is gluten free. I prefer to make these instead of wheat chapatis now a days. These can be tricky to make initially but with regular practice they are fun to make and obviously healthy too.

Here, I must tell you that there’s a basic difference between Bhakari and Roti. Bhakari or commonly called farmer’s bread are made with pure or mixed grains flour, are slightly thicker and coarser than rotis. Water is applied on one side while roasting them. These puff partially and are traditionally hand patted but one can use plastic sheet for easing the process. Typically the bhakri is eaten with Jhunka or Pithla. A bhakri is thick enough to be used as a plate. While a roti is much thinner and can be made using the pure flour or adding some wheat flour for convenience. These can be hand patted too or can be rolled using a rolling pin. These puff completely.

Vaal is a very commonly used legume in Maharashtra, it is brown in color with a white line running through it’s one edge. It is seen in various varieties and one version is bitter in taste, called the ‘kadave vaal’ where ‘kadave’ means bitter. I do not know why it’s called kaduve because I hardly find it bitter..

I sprouted the legume (vaal) for making it further rich in protein. Eating a high protein diet is recommended in a good diet that helps build muscles and reduce fat in the body. The combination of Vaalachi Usal and Jowar roti is very rustic with earthy flavors and I simply love the rustic nature of this dish. The sprouted vaal can be peeled by placing them in warm water or else eaten without peeling. I’ve not peeled ..

Kaduve Vaalachi Usal/ Lablab Bean Curry

Sprouting Time:15-20hrs

Preparation Time:30mins

Cooking Time: 15mins

Serves:3

Ingredients For Vaal Curry

2cups steam cooked sprouted vaal/lablab beans

2medium sized onions, chopped

2tomatoes, chopped

2-3garlic cloves, chopped

3-4 green chilies, chopped

a large pinch asafetida/heeng

1/2tsp turmeric pwd

3/4tsp red chili pwd

3-4 kokam/ dry mangosteen

4-5tsp oil

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1tsp chopped coriander stems

1/2tsp goda masala

Method For Vaal Curry

Pressure cook the sprouted vaal.

Heat oil and splutter the mustard.

Add heeng, chopped garlic and green chilies.

Tip in the chopped onions and saute till light brown in colour.

Add the tomatoes,saute.

Add turmeric and red chili pwd.

Add the salt to taste.

Cook till the tomatoes are mushy.

Add cooked vaal, mix.

Pour about a cup of water and mix. Add chopped coriander stems and mix.

Add goda masala and stir.

Finally add kokam and boil on low flame for 8-10mins.

Serve hot with rice or Jowar Roti.

Jowar Roti/Sorghum Indian Bread

Preparation Time:5mins

Cooking Time:15-20mins

Makes:8 rotis

Ingredients

3/4 cup Jowar/Sorghum Flour

1/2 cup Wheat Flour

a pinch of salt

warm water for kneading

Method For Making Jowar Roti

Mix both the flours, add salt and knead a soft but firm dough using warm water. Once kneaded, knead more for about 5mins. This roti can also be made only with Jowar/Sorghum flour but with the store bought flour, making roti is a bit difficult, so for convenience, wheat flour is added.