Field Beans/ Mochai

This is another wonderful mochai (field beans) recipe. Mochai is one of my all-time favorite legumes. If you can't find field beans in your neck of the woods, substitute fava beans and it'll taste as good.


Spiced Mochai/ Fava Beans/ Field Beans

2 Onions, chopped fine
3 cloves Garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Chilli Powder
4-5 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 cup Green Beans, cooked, chopped
1/2 cup Field Beans/ Mochai, cooked

Heat some oil in a pan. Add the mustard, curry leaves, onions, garlic, turmeric and chilli powder. Keep sauteing until the oil begins to separate from the rest of the spices. Add the cooked green beans and the mochai, stir well for 5 minutes until everything comes together. Remove from heat. Serve warm.

Mustard Curry

The abundance of mustard in this dishes gives it a spicy flavor that's just wonderful. Especially when combined with rasam and rice. This curry can be made with either mochai (fava beans), peas or green beans. They all taste equally good.


Mustard Curry (Kadugu Kootu)
2 cups Peas OR Fava Beans (mochai) OR Green Beans, cooked
1/2 cup Shredded coconut
6 dried Red Chillies
2 1/2 cups Water
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Chilli Powder
Salt, to taste

Seasoning:
1 tbsp Ghee Or Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
2 dried Red Chillies

Grind the coconut, dried red chilli, mustard seeds and chilli powder. Keep aside.

Heat a pan and add the ground coconut mixture and the cooked vegetable and salt. Cook until the raw smell of the mustard disappears.

Heat the ghee/ oil in another pan. Add the seasoning ingredients. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the seasoning to the cooking vegetables. Mix well and remove from heat.