Kanda-Bachali Ava Petti Kura

This is an Andhra Special dish. Kanda is Yam and bachali is I think chinese spinach if I am not wrong. Aave petti kura means cooking the curry in the flavour of mustard paste. This has a strong mustardy flavour and surprisingly you will love it. Cooked in right way, you don't feel the bitterness of mustard seeds at all. This is a special curry that is made usually in all the functions in Andhra, I mean be it wedding, thread ceremony or death ceremony considered to have in the menu. This is my first time making this I was always scared to cook with mustard seeds paste cause I might spoil the dish and it might turn out bitter tasting.

Few days back, my mom threw a party and in the menu she had Aratikaya aava petti kura. The curry was heavenly so I immediately spoke to the caterer and requested him to tell me how he made it. The guy was kind enough to share the recipe with me and I am sharing the same with all you guys here. I adapted the same with these vegetables instead of Aratikaya, I will definitely make with aratikaya ( Raw banana) also very soon.

Here is how you make it

1 tbsp mustard seeds (soak in warm water for about 30 min. to 1 hour)
3 to 4 red chillies

Soaking the mustard seeds helps in removing the bitterness that it has partially atleast. Take them into a mixie jar and grind them into smooth paste.

1/4 kg kanda (Yam)
3 bunches bachali aaku (chinese spinach, if it is called something else then please correct me)
1 small lemon sized ball of tamarind (soak in warm water and extract pulp)
little turmeric
salt as per taste

Wash thoroughly peel and cut yam into cubes. Pour enough water, add turmeric and salt and pressure cook upto 3 whistles. I cooked along with my rice in another dish.

Chop the leaves of bachali aaku.

For tempering:

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
2 to 3 dry red chillies teared into halves

Heat oil in a pan add all the tempering ingredients. When they start spluttering, add curry leaves, and chopped bachali aaku. Let it cook for a while until the leaves are cooked thru and then add the cooked yam. Mash it slightly with the back side of your ladle gently. Make sure it is not too paste. Add the tamarind pulp and cook for about 10 min. Add the mustard paste and turn the heat to sim(low) and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn off the stove.

This goes well with both the hot steamed rice or with chapathis.

This is my entry for "Celebrating Regional Cuisine" event being hosted by Sujana of Sujana's World.