Red Chori and Squash Curry

I found Red Chori (Azuki bean) in the Indian grocery a while ago and totally loved it. This is different from Rajma (Red Kidney Bean), they do have similar color but the shape and taste are totally different. When correctly cooked Red Bean taste like cooked Horse Gram (kulith, hurali), but is denser than the horse gram. I have prepared one curry before without using any coconut and this is another one that I tried which has coconut masala in it. This is more like our Konkani Ghashi in which the flavor of the cooked beans blends with that of the coconut msala. (Called ‘maasolu’). In fact, this masala is so versatile that any cooked beans can be used along with squash or any vegetable of choice.

• Ingredients
• ½ cup dry red chori
• 1 small chayote squash (seeme badnekai)
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¾ cup shredded coconut (fresh/frozen)
• 1 Tbsp tamarind paste
• 3-4 red chillies
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp raw jeera (cumin seeds)
• Salt
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Oil

Method:

• Soak the red chori in enough water for 8-10 hours.
• Pressure cook the beans separately. Make sure that the beans are not over cooked and that it retains its shape.
• Wash the squash and peel the outside. Chop it into big cubes and cook it separately. Do not drain the water.
• Grind the coconut along with red chillies, tamarind, salt coriander seeds and jeera. Add just enough water and make a smooth paste.
• Take a heavy bottom pan and heat some oil. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and then the chopped onions. Cook until it turns transparent.
• Add the ground paste and cook for a minute. Add the cooked red beans and cooked squash.
• Mix this and let this mixture simmer on low flame for a while.

This pairs well with rice and also with rotis/chapathis.