Magic of mochai beans vivid in this Kongu recipe

Chennai

My friend Janifer Joel, the head of Herbalife in the US, had told me that she wanted to see how food was cooked in clay pots. Thus we landed in Karur and were headed towards Malaikovilur village in Tamil Nadu.

We hired a car after drinking a refreshing cup of filter coffee and along with an enthusiastic guide called Swami, made our way to Malaikovilur. The road offered us enough diversions and pot holes to wake us up fully.  As we neared the village, we were shown a thatched hut that was the home of a 79-year-old farmer. 

He had agricultural fields behind his home and for a few hours a day, he served two or three dishes made with the fresh produce he grew, we were told. People came from all over to relish the food and they didn’t call the meal breakfast or lunch, but an ‘eating experience’ to be had. One among the vegetables and pulses grown by the farmer was the mochai kottai, known as field beans or Hyacinth beans in English.

As we sat down on wooden benches, sipping rice kanji spiced with ginger, green chillies and salt, the septuagenarian whose name was Manian wandered around the vegetable patch at the back of his hut picking ingredients. From greens to ladies finger, snake gourd, cluster beans, chillies, curry leaves, coriander and fenugreek leaves, he picked out a whole range of produce that shone in their full glory. He also picked out some delicious mochai kottai and we knew we were in for a treat.

The kitchen formed one part of the hut and had three mud stoves fixed on the ground. On top of it he placed three huge mud pots to sizzle away with food being cooked inside. When we sat down to eat, we were served hot mochai kottai biryani on banana leaves. Fresh curd made from cow’s (that Manian raised) milk was served as a side. Each mouthful satiated our hunger and we were thankful to taste a dish made the traditional Kongunady way.

Konganadu Mochai Kottai Biryani

Ingredients needed

Ponni/basmati rice: 1 cup (traditionally they 

used ponni or samba)

Onion: 1 medium size

Shallots: 1/2 cup peeled 

Tomato: 2

Potato: 2

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp

Fresh mochai/field beans: 1 cup

Curd: 1 small cup

Mint leaves: ¼ cup

Coriander leaves: ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Coconut milk: 1 cup

Water: 1 1/2 cup

Coconut oil : 1/4 cup

Pure ghee: 2 tsp

For the Masala

Cinnamon: 1 one-inch piece

Cloves: 2

Coriander seeds/dhania: 2 tsp

Cumin seeds/ black jeera: 1 tsp

Bengal gram/

kadalai paruppu: 2 tsp

Red chilies: 2

Green chillies: 1

Ginger: 1 one-inch piece

Garlic cloves: 6 cloves

Cashew nuts: 1/4 cup

For the seasoning

Coconut oil: 1/4cup

Pure ghee: 2 tsp

Cinnamon: 1 one-inch piece

Cloves: 2

Black cardamom: 2

Star anise: 2

Curry leaves: 1/4 cup

Preparation 

• Heat a tsp of coconut oil and fry cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Bengal gram, dal, cashewnuts and red chillies.
• Remove from pan.
• In the same pan, sauté ginger, garlic and green chilies.
• Grind half the coriander and half the mint leaves together. 
• Then, grind the first two together adding a little water.
• Mix all the masalas and keep aside. 
• Slice the onions into long thin strips. 
• Peel and cut the shallots. 
• Peel the skin and cut potatoes into medium-sized pieces.
• Chop tomatoes into tiny bits and keep it ready. 
• Pressure cook field beans with a little salt and 1/2 spoon turmeric until soft. 
• Dilute 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk by adding 1 1/2 cups of water.
• Now we have 2 cups of liquid for cooking rice. 
• Keep the other 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk separate.
• Soak ponni rice for 15 minutes, if basmati rice then for 30 mins.  
• Drain the water completely and keep it ready.

Method

• Heat rest of the oil in a big, heavy-based pan.
• Add cinnamon, star anise, black cardamom and cloves.
• Sauté for a few seconds and then add onions.
• Sauté until onions turn transparent. 
• Add a little salt to speed up the process.
• Add tomatoes and sauté for a few more minutes.
• Add chopped potatoes.
• Add turmeric powder, salt and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the masala paste and sauté on medium flame until it leaves the side.
• Sauté the masala paste well while stirring continuously.
• After 8 to 10 minutes when masala is done add the cooked field beans.
• Add  curd.  
• Add the rest of the chopped coriander and mint leaves.
• Add rice and thin coconut milk. 
• If required, add salt at this stage.
• Cover a lid and keep on medium flame till rice is almost cooked. 
• Open and pour the other 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1 spoon of ghee. 
• Cook for another 3 minutes; open the lid to see if it’s the right biryani consistency. 
• If cooking in the pressure cooker, keep only for one whistle. 
• Konganadu mochai kottai biryani is ready to be served. 
• This dish is best served piping hot with raitha, papad or homemade vathal.

Prep Time: 20 Mins.

Cooking Time: 20 Mins.

Serves: 3 Pax.

Calories Per Serve: 310Cl Per Serve

Kitchen Tip

Cooking this dish in a mud pot will make it taste far superior. Mocha kottai is supposed to be loaded with nutrients, so buy some when they’re in season and store in the fridge. You can make a number of dishes with it

—  Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes

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