Avarakai Curry

This is my most favorite curry aka avarakai kariamudhu. Avarakai has a rich flavor and it is nutritious too. This is a very standard simple stir fry curry that is made in our homes. This curry can be cooked in about 15 to 20 minutes, including the prep work. The vegetable cooks in 5 mins and hence it is a easy curry to make at any given time. A couple of other different style curries are made using avarakai, but this is the easiest and takes less time for cooking.

I picked the avarakai from K aunty's home. She has a magnificent veggie garden. It was a great experience picking them after a very very long time. They were so tender and hence there were no strings to remove. Most of the market purchased ones have the strings as they are matured and need to be removed. 

The fresh ones from the garden were so tender. Snip the ends, remove strings if any and slice them to 1/4 in. slices.. Just sauteed with salt and coconut and the curry was tasty. Its not spicy and hence most of the kids would love to eat. It is best served with rice (along with sambhar, rasam or yogurt), but goes as a dry curry for roti too when served along with dal.

Ingredients
Serves 4

Avarakai - 2 and 1/2 cups, thinly sliced
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Water - 1 tbsp


Seasoning

Oil - 1 tbsp
Dried red chilli - 1
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Split urad dhal -  1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add the red chillies and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the split urad dhal. Then add asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry for a minute. Then add the sliced avarakai. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of water, mix and cover with lid.

 In about 5 - 7 minutes the vegetable would be cooked. Add salt, and continue to saute without covering for a coupe of minutes.

Add the coconut, mix and saute for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Serve with rice or roti.