Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru | Hyacinth Beans Curry

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Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru or Hyacinth Beans Curry is a delicious and lip-smacking bean-based curry, a perfect rice accompaniment from the state of Karnataka.

It’s the Avarekalu Huli Saaru, a winter special, mild coconut-based gravy prepared with field beans/hyacinth beans. Here is my no onion – no garlic version of the Averakalu huli saaru that I made in Instant Pot. (I promise, the recipe that I am going to post tomorrow is not a no onion no garlic recipe.)

Like every other recipe, there are lots of variations to this recipe as well, and also you can change the consistency as per your preference. The consistency of the gravy could be thick as sambar/Kuzhambu or thin as rasam/saaru. Also, you can use sambar podi or rasam podi for the spice. For this recipe, I went with a thin consistency, and also I used rasam powder.

Traditional Kannada Recipes

One of my favorite YouTube channels is swayampaaka, and I love their traditional Kannada recipes. The base recipe is from here, but of course with my variations. :-)

This gravy is traditionally prepared with fresh hyacinth beans, but as I couldn’t source the fresh ones, I went with the frozen packet. But I can guarantee that taste-wise there is not much of a compromise. When you have frozen one, you can prepare them pretty much at any time of the year.

I would recommend buying the fresh beans in bulk and freezing them for later use. This Avarekalu huli saaru is a perfect party and potluck recipe too. I prepared this for a weekend lunch, and our friends P and JV who came on a surprise visit enjoyed this huli saaru.

When I prepare this saaru, I don’t even bother to make a side dish. The Avarekalu huli saaru with plain rice makes its meal, and if you have papad or any other dry curry, then I would call this as a feast. So without any further ado, here comes the recipe. But before that, the recap.   

Recap:

• Day 4 | 2015 – Quinoa Rajma Burrito
• Day 4 | 2016 – Pani Puri
• Today – Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru | Hyacinth beans curry

Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru | Hyacinth Beans Curry Recipe

The no onion no garlic and the instant pot version of a Karnataka special, mild coconut-based gravy prepared with field beans/hyacinth beans. 

Ingredients:

• Hyacinth Beans / Field Beans / Avarekalu – 1 frozen packet / 340 gms
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp + ½ Tsp
• Grated Coconut – ½ cup
• Red chili – 1
• Rasam Powder – 1 tbsp
• Tamarind Paste – 2 tsps
• Turmeric Powder – ¼ Tsp
• Grated / Powdered Jaggery – 1 tsp
• Hing – ¼ tsp
• Salt – 2 tsps (heaped)
• Curry leaves – 5 to 6
• Chopped Cilantro – 1 tbsp
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Water – 2 cups + ½ cup

Prep – Work:

• If you are using frozen beans, make sure it is at room temperature.
• If using fresh ones, wash the beans and set aside.

Instant Pot Method:

• Add the rinsed beans to the Instant Pot and add 2 cups of water.

• Set it in manual mode and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
• Carefully open the lid and take about ½ cup of cooked beans. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Let the remaining beans be in the Instant Pot.
• Now grind this ½ cup of beans along with coconut, ½ Tsp of cumin seeds, red chili, turmeric powder, rasam powder and hing into a coarse mix.

• Set the instant pot in sauté mode and add the ground coconut mix, jaggery and tamarind paste to the cooked beans and mix well.
• If required add more water. I just used ½ more cup of water. I just rinsed my mixer jar with that half cup of water and added it into the IP.

Next…

• Add salt, curry leaves, and cilantro and let it simmer in sauté mode for 8 to 10 minutes.

• In a separate tadka pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. As they start to splutter add it to the saaru and mix well.

And that’s it. Avarekalu Huli Saaru is ready. Serve hot with rice.

Stove Top Method:

• Cook the beans in your preferred way, either on the stove top or microwave or in a pressure cooker and until the beans are soft and tender. Make sure they are not mushy. Do not drain the water.
• Set aside ½ cup of cooked beans and let it cool.
• Now grind this ½ cup of beans along with coconut, ½ Tsp of cumin seeds, red chili, turmeric powder, rasam powder and hing into a coarse mix.
• Heat a kadai or pan and add oil. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. (If using onions add at this stage)
• As the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the cooked beans along with water and the ground mix and combine them.
• Then add the jaggery, tamarind paste and mix them all.
• If required add more water. I just used ½ more cup of water. I just rinsed my mixer jar with that half cup of water.
• Add the cilantro and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Notes:

• Adjust the salt and spice as per your preference.
• Instead of rasam powder, you can use sambar powder.
• Also, you can do the tempering with ghee.
• If using onion in the IP method, transfer the cooked beans to a different vessel and do the tempering in the sauté mode and cook the onion. Then add the beans, ground mix, and the other ingredients.
• Make sure the beans are not mushy. It has to be soft and tender. So do not overcook. In IP, manual 3 minutes is more than sufficient. In fact, you can do a quick pressure release after 5 minutes.
• Adjust the water as per your consistency preference. If you want the saaru to be thick, either simmer for a long time or mix about one tsp of rice flour in 3 tbsps of water and add it to the saaru and then bring it to a boil.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Avarekalu Huli Saaru | Hyacinth beans curry

The no onion no garlic and the instant pot version of a Karnataka special, mild coconut-based gravy prepared with field beans/hyacinth beans. 

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course, rice accompaniment

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Keyword: Avarekalu Huli Saaru, Hyacinth Beans Curry, Instant Pot

Servings: 4

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Equipment

• Electric or Regular Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

• 340 gms Hyacinth Beans / Field Beans / Avarekalu – 1 frozen packet / 340 gms
• 1.5 tsp Cumin Seeds divided, 1 tsp + ½ Tsp
• 1/2 cup Coconut grated
• 1 Red chili
• 1 tbsp Rasam Powder
• 2 tsps Tamarind Paste
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Jaggery Grated / Powdered
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 2 tsps Salt heaped
• 6 Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp Cilantro chopped
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2.5 cups Water divided, 2 cups + ½ cup

Instructions

Prep – Work

• If you are using frozen beans, make sure it is at room temperature.
• If using fresh ones, wash the beans and set aside.

Instant Pot Method

• Add the rinsed beans to the Instant Pot and add 2 cups of water.
• Set it in manual mode and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
• Carefully open the lid and take about ½ cup of cooked beans. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Let the remaining beans be in the Instant Pot.
• Now grind this ½ cup of beans along with coconut, ½ Tsp of cumin seeds, red chili, turmeric powder, rasam powder and hing into a coarse mix.
• Set the instant pot in sauté mode and add the ground coconut mix, jaggery and tamarind paste to the cooked beans and mix well.
• If required add more water. I just used ½ more cup of water. I just rinsed my mixer jar with that half cup of water and added it into the IP.
• Add salt, curry leaves, and cilantro and let it simmer in sauté mode for 8 to 10 minutes.
• In a separate tadka pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. As they start to splutter add it to the saaru and mix well.
• And that’s it. Avarekalu Huli Saaru is ready. Serve hot with rice.

Stove Top Method

• Cook the beans in your preferred way, either on the stove top or microwave or in a pressure cooker and until the beans are soft and tender. Make sure they are not mushy. Do not drain the water.
• Set aside ½ cup of cooked beans and let it cool.
• Now grind this ½ cup of beans along with coconut, ½ Tsp of cumin seeds, red chili, turmeric powder, rasam powder and hing into a coarse mix.
• Heat a kadai or pan and add oil. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. (If using onions add at this stage)
• As the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the cooked beans along with water and the ground mix and combine them.
• Then add the jaggery, tamarind paste and mix them all.
• If required add more water. I just used ½ more cup of water. I just rinsed my mixer jar with that half cup of water.
• Add the cilantro and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Notes

• Adjust the salt and spice as per your preference.
• Instead of rasam powder you can use sambar powder.
• Also, you can do the tempering with ghee.
• If using onion in the IP method, transfer the cooked beans to a different vessel and do the tempering in the sauté mode and cook the onion. Then add the beans, ground mix, and the other ingredients.
• Make sure the beans are not mushy. It has to be soft and tender. So do not overcook. In IP, manual 3 minutes is more than sufficient. In fact, you can do a quick pressure release after 5 minutes.
• Adjust the water as per your consistency preference. If you want the saaru to be thick, either simmer for a long time or mix about one tsp of rice flour in 3 tbsps of water and add it to the saaru and then bring it to a boil.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1183mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 341IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 4mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen

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Sending this recipe to “My Legume Love Affair 111” co-hosted by Tuma’s Tongue Treats which was created by Susan and now hosted by Lisa.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80.

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