Red Chori Palak Curry / Azuki Bean Spinach Curry

It is alarming the way the food prices are sky rocketing these days. Every time we go to the grocery, we notice an increase in the price even for the essential commodities like bread, pulses, milk, vegetables etc. We seem to be getting lesser and lesser for the same amount each year. I personally feel the prick most when I see the prices of Toor Daal and Uraad Daal go. These were the most frequently used Daals at home growing up and it is painful to see their prices shoot up at such alarming levels.

Anyways, the silver lining about this is that it pushes me to look for other alternatives and try out something new and different. On one such escapade to the Indian grocery I saw this Red Chori and after some keen contemplation decided to give it a try. I did not want to do anything fancy for the first time, so I decided to make the usual curry. I did not regret the decision as I liked the taste and the flavor seemed pretty familiar too. I feel that when this is correctly cooked nearly tastes like cooked horse gram and when cooked slightly more taste like a regular daal with some zing.

So it is a good option to try when somebody is looking for a change or when one is out of the regular daals/legumes etc.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Red Chori /Azuki beans (soaked overnight)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 green chillies
• 2-3 garlic pods
• Curry leaves (3-4)
• 1/2 Tbsp Mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• Oil
• salt

Procedure:

• Pressure cook the soaked Red Chori and keep aside. Make sure that it is not over cooked.
• Chop the onions, spinach, garlic and green chillies and keep aside.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan add some oil then add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
• Add jeera, cumin leaves and the garlic and roast until the garlic turns light brown.
• Next add the onions and green chilles and sauté until it turns transparent.
• Add the chopped spinach and mix well. This wilts and cooks very fast. Add more oil if necessary.

• Add the cooked Red Chori and salt and mix well and cover with a lid for a while.

This can be eaten with rotis/pholkas or as a wonderful accompaniment with rice.