Andhra Ava Pettina Kanda Bachali Kura
This is the recipe for a traditional Andhra dish called Ava Pettina Kanda Bachali Kura. It is a curry made with Elephant Foot Yam and Malabar Spinach, and flavoured with mustard paste.
Ingredients
- 250 gms Kanda, Elephant Foot Yam, Suran, Jimikand
- 150 gms Bachali Kura, Mayalu, Malabar Spinach
- Salt to Taste
For Mustard Paste
- 2 tsp Avalu, Mustard Seeds, Rai
- 1/2 tsp Rice
- 1-2 Red Chillies
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Avalu, Mustard Seeds, Rai
- 2 tsp Minapa Pappu, Black Gram, Udad Dal
- 2 tsp Senaga Pappu, Bengal Gram, Chana Dal
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2 Red Chillies
- 1 tbsp Oil Sesame Oil preferred
Instructions
To Make the Mustard Paste
- Soak the mustard seeds, rice, and chillies in about 2-3 tbsp of water for 15 minutes.
- Grind to a smooth paste.
Cooking the Yam and Malabar Spinach
- Peel and chop the yam into large chunks. Wash thoroughly.
- Wash and chop the Malabar Spinach leaves and tender part of the stalks to small pieces (about 1").
- In a vessel, add the yam and malabar spinach, and add enough water to just cover them. I put yam first, add leaves on top, and then water.
- Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
- Drain and reserve the excess water in which the vegetables have been cooked.
- Mash the cooked yam till it breaks apart completely. The leaves and stalks will remain as is.
Making the Kanda Bachali Kura
- In a kadhai, heat the oil.
- Add the mustard seeds and wait till they crackle.
- Add the udad and chana dals.
- Stir-fry till the dals are light golden brown.
- Add the spilt red chillies and stir-fry for a few seconds till they start to change colour.
- Lower the heat, add the cooked kanda-bachali, salt, turmeric, and mix well.
- If the curry is too thick, add some of the reserved water, and mix well. The consistency should like idli batter.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the ground mustard paste and mix well.
- Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes so that the flavour of the mustard intensifies.
- Serve hot with steam rice topped with gingelly oil, and Avakai on the side.