Avara Songe – A traditional Konkani side dish (Vegan + Gluten Free)

Sometimes, simple, homely meals can be far more satisfying than elaborate gourmet dinners. One such meal that I can never forget is also my childhood favorite. At lunchtime, mother would serve us a plate of hot rice with fragrant, hot dali toye poured over it, topped with buttermilk, and accompanied by delicious, hot and savory avara songe. This simple meal was so tasty that I could never have enough of it. Today, it became truly wondrous when I used freshly shelled lablab beans in place of the dried beans that we get from the grocery stores. Three months ago, we had visited one of my husband’s acquaintances. The husband, a poor, childless farmer had married again after becoming a widower early in his marriage. His ill luck seemed to follow him as his second wife met with an accident in town and nearly died of brain trauma. However, after much treatment and the prayers of a whole village, she had recovered partially. She greeted us with love, her speech slurred and baby-like. They presented us with tender coconuts to drink and the dear lady soon took out her little cardboard treasure box. Out came cute little seeds, beautiful, multicolored, and these she pressed into my palm, asking me to plant them in our garden right away. Two of the seeds were dark pink, a type of lablab beans (Lablab purpureus / hyacinth bean / bonavist bean / Egyptian kidney bean /Indian bean / Australian pea) that we had never before seen.

They soon grew into large branching vines and yesterday, my husband brought in a good number of mature beans, a few of them, almost dry too.

We sat down to shell them, fascinated with the sheer beauty and color of the beans.

I decided to make avara songe with porottas. The dear lady had asked us to drain off the broth to get rid of most of the bitter taste, always present in the beans. This I did, and the result indeed was fantastic, and as I said, wondrous, for the four of us finished the avara songe in a trice!

I am sure I won’t be able to sleep without sharing this recipe with you. If you are unable to get fresh, mature lablab beans in their pods, then just buy the dry beans from the supermarket and soak them in water overnight. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Avara Songe Yum

A hot and savory, delicious, traditional Konkani lablab beans stir-fry.

Cuisine

Indian, Konkani

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 330 gm mature lablab beans (freshly shelled) (see note)
• 200 gm onion peeled
• 10 gm ginger peeled
• 100 gm tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes, but any type will do)
• 20 gm hot green chilies
• 10 gm Kashmiri chili powder
• 5 gm coriander powder
• 2 gm turmeric powder
• 15 gm salt
• 50 ml coconut oil
• 3 gm mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 350 ml water
• 1 plant coriander leaves

Cuisine Indian, Konkani Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 330 gm mature lablab beans (freshly shelled) (see note) 200 gm onion peeled 10 gm ginger peeled 100 gm tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes, but any type will do) 20 gm hot green chilies 10 gm Kashmiri chili powder 5 gm coriander powder 2 gm turmeric powder 15 gm salt 50 ml coconut oil 3 gm mustard seeds 2 sprigs curry leaves 350 ml water 1 plant coriander leaves

Instructions

To prepare:

1. Put the beans in the pressure cooker and pour in a liter of water.
2. Set the cooker on high heat.
3. As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn off the heat and let the cooker take its time for the steam to subside naturally. This will cook the beans to perfection.
4. When cool enough, open the lid and drain off the broth.
5. Chop the onion and the ginger to fine bits and set aside.
6. Cut each green chili into 2 or 3 pieces and keep aside.
7. Chop the tomatoes into little bits and put aside.
8. Chop the coriander leaves to fine pieces and set aside.

To cook:

1. Set a thick cast-iron wok (for best taste) on high heat. Pour in the coconut oil and throw in the mustard seeds.
2. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, pull the curry leaves off their sprigs and throw them in.
3. Quickly tip in the chopped onion and the chopped ginger. Stir continuously on high heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are golden brown in color.
4. Lower the heat and tip in the chopped green chilies and the chopped tomatoes.
5. Mix well and put in the chili powder, the coriander powder, the turmeric powder and the salt.
6. Stir well and tip in the cooked lablab beans. Pour in the water and turn up the heat. Stir occasionally.
7. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and cover with a lid. Let the songe cook for 5 minutes.
8. Now open the lid, tip in the coriander leaves and switch off the heat.
9. Stir and serve hot with fresh porottas, chappatis, rice, dosas, porridge or freshly baked bread.

Recipe Notes

If fresh, mature lablab beans are not available, just use 200 gm of dry lablab beans, but do remember to soak them in water overnight. If you cannot get lablab beans at all, just use kidney beans instead. You will have a sweeter songe!