9 Jun 2015

Cheeni Avarakkai Vathal | Kothavarangai Vathal | Sun Dried Cluster Beans Recipe

My family is always busy sun drying vegetables and making vathals during summer. I have grown up watching my paternal grand mother making a lot of vathals during the summer and now my parents do the same. This is a common thing done is most South Indian homes.

The vegetable Cluster Beans called as Cheeni Avarakkai or Kothavarangai in Tamil is the most common vathal made in my home apart from vengaya vadam, sundakai vathal, kathrikai vathal. I will post the other vathal also later.


Cheeni Avarakkai Vathal


Cheeni Avarakkai, can me made as a poriyal or kuzhambu also. We simply love to eat this vathal with sambar/rasam rice or with kuzambu rice. Totally yum!! There are many ways to make this vathal, this is the method my parents follow and we love it!


CHEENI AVARAKKAI VATHAL
Preparation time 3 days | Cooking time 10 mins | Makes - 1/2 kg vathal

Ingredients
  • Cheeni Avarakkai - 1/2 kg
  • Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Water - 1/2 cup
Cheeni Avarakkai Vathal

Method
1. Wash the cluster beans and dry it lightly. Add the turmeric powder and salt and toss well.
2. Transfer the beans to a wide kadai and add about 1/2 cup of water and mix well.



3. Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Keep tossing the beans often and let it cook until the beans are cooked well and the water is completely gone.
4. Once it's cooled down, spread the cluster beans in a large vessel or cloth and sun dry them for 3 days.



5. We leave it in the sun from morning till evening and bring it in, then take it back out to the sun the next morning.
6. Once it's completely dried, store it in air tight boxes.



7. To prepare - Heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, drop these dried vathal in it and fry for about 30-45 seconds until it becomes a deeper shade of brown and crisp. 



8. Remove and drain in a paper towel.
9. Store the fried vathal in another air tight box.

Enjoy with South Indian meals!


Cheeni Avarakkai Vathal


Notes
1. You can add some red chilli powder along with turmeric powder.
2. Make sure the vathal has completely dried out before you put it in a box.




Until next time,
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9 comments:

  1. Brilliant. I only buy these dried beans. Thank you. Though not sure if I will make, I sure now know how to make.

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  2. good idea...how long can we store it

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    Replies
    1. If it's really well dried, it can be stored for a month.

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  3. looks so yummy....my family love cluster beans ..will make like this for them...

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  4. I make these when I am in India.. but we don't get the cluster beans here in Brazil..

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  5. Wow !!Never heard about this vathal.But i am sure it taste great with any south indian meal.

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  6. Oh beulah you are 3 days late..im going to native today..i have 1/2 kg of kothavarngai in my fridge!!!!!!!!!
    Will try it later for sure and let u know :)

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  7. They look super crisp dear...Loved them!!

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  8. Looks very delicious and nice..

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