As India has many villages, every geographical area has different vegetables and pulses growing. According to the availability of the vegetables and grains, farmers make the best use of them by including all of them in their diet during that particular season. Here in South India we have many farmers’ dishes that contain seasonal green leaf vegetables like spinach, leaf of radish, dill, and many more, using them in different combinations with tuvar dhal, mung bean dhal and many other beans and dhals.
In the southern part of Karnataka farmers use rice and ragi as a main dish with the sambar made of these dhals and vegetables. Even palya also includes green leaf vegetables and dhals. Here ragi is powdered and used as ragi thick paste and ragi roti. In the northern part of Karnataka farmers use rice, maize, millet, milo, wheat with sambar and palyas. Maize, millet, milo and wheat are powdered and prepared as rotis. This dish is an example of a farmer’s delight dish.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (250 g) green beans
- 1 bunch dill
- 5 Tbs tuvar dhal (skinned & split)
- 5 Tbs mung beans (whole)
- 5 cups of water
- salt to taste
- 1 Tbs oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 red chillies
- 1 pinch asafetida
- 2 Tbs coconut, grated
- Chop green beans into small pieces. Chop dill finely.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot place the tuvar dhal and mung beans and cook for 15-20 minutes or in a pressure cooker for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add chopped fresh green beans and finely chopped dill. Cook well until the ingredients become soft.
- Add salt to taste, then drain the water and set both water and vegetables aside.
- The broth can be consumed anytime with pepper and lemon juice.
- To prepare the tempering heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add black mustard seeds. When black mustard seeds start to splutter, add the chillies and one pinch asafetida. Add grated coconut. Then add the cooked vegetables. Fry for a few seconds. Mix it well.