Fresh Mochai (in Tamil) is a type of field beans. Dried one is called Mochaikottai and is available throughout the year in the provision stores. Fresh mochai is available during winter season in the vegetable market. It is nothing but a variety of bean like peas. During winter other items like peas, lima bean, butter bean and kidney bean are also available fresh in the vegetable market. In Karnataka, fresh mochai is used more in cooking.
We love stir-fry with fresh mochai very much. It is also used in kootu during Pongal in January.
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes approximately
Ingredients
- Shelled tender mochai – 1½ cup
- Onion – 1 no
- Tomato – 1 no
- Red chilli powder – ½ tea spoon
- Coriander powder – 1½ tea spoon
- Pepper powder – ½ tea spoon
- Turmeric – ¼ tea spoon
- Garam masala powder – ½ tea spoon
- Coriander leaves – few
- Salt – as per taste
- For seasoning
- Mustard – ½ tea spoon
- Urad dal – ½ tea spoon
- Curry leaves – few
- Oil – 1 table spoon
Method
- Chop onion and tomato; heat a pan, do the seasoning, add onions fry till transparent; add tomato, fry till soft; add all dry powders except salt and stir for few seconds.
- Add fresh mochai, mix well, add 1 cup of water and bring to boil; add salt, mix well and further cook in low flame with covered lid for 10 minutes or till mochai is soft and cooked.
- As mochai takes time to cook, add water as necessary; before removing add coriander leaves and stir for few seconds; this gives nice flavor to mochai.
- Serve with rice or chappati.
Tips
Do not buy shelled mochai from vegetable market as it may not be fresh; buy mochai pods and shell it at home even if it takes some time to do it.
This post is part of the event “My Legume Love Affair – 17” hosted by Sra of When My Soup Came Alive and scheduled by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.
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