Andhra broad bean stir-fry (Chikkudukaya vepudu)

Indian broad beans are commonly found across India, and are a favourite. They are seen as huge piles at the market or at a vegetable grocer, and shoppers gather around to pick out the most tender beans. They are also called papdi in Gujarat, Bakla in Bengali, Avarakkai in Tamil, and Kadale kayi in Kannada.

Vepudu is a specific cooking technique from Andhra Pradesh, similar to Asian stir-fry. But it differs in that water is usually added to the wok to blanch the vegetables. The heat is not as high as a wok stir-fry, but the results are just as stunning.

This broad bean recipe is an everyday family recipe, beloved in every home. The beans need to be strung very carefully, the tough fibres removed. The pods are tender when cooked, and the beans inside have a delicate bite. The spices are huge, as is common in Andhra cuisine, and the heat from the chillies almost overpowers the palate. This is a wonderful side, mainly because this dish is such a favourite. This is a wonderful cookbook packed with traditional dishes. Archana Pidathala wrote it as an ode to her grandmother's cooking. This book is so much more than a collection of recipes; it brings to my table a history of the cuisine and people. Wonderfully written and featuring beautiful photographs, this cookbook fills a gap on my bookshelf for a cuisine I know little about.

For more delicious and spicy dishes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb broad beans, only the most tender pods

1/4 cup water

For the spice mix:

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

4 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt, to taste

For the temper:

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon husked shelled black gram lentils(urad dal)

2 dried red chillies

12-15 curry leaves

Method:

Start by stringing the beans. Pinch off a tip and pull off the fibrous string on the side. Repeat with the other side of the bean. These fibres are very chewy and ruin the texture. Please take the time to string these properly. Cut the beans on the diagonal in half and et aside.

Pound the chilli, garlic, cumin, turmeric and salt in a mortar until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or wide pan over medium-low heat to temper. Add the mustard seeds; they will pop in 10 seconds. Add the black gram lentils, dried chillies and curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds.

Add the spice mix and fry until it no longer smells raw, about 1 minute. Add the beans and toss well in the spices. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the beans are cooked through or still retain a slight bite. taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Serve hot as a side with chapattis or rice.