Avarekaalu Akki Rotti

Its Avarekaalu season here in India and its wonderful to be here during this time :). I can try many of my favorite dishes with this tasty beans. Avarekaalu or Hyacinth beans is a favorite of any kannadiga. During the season, you can see in every house people buy these in loads and they all sit together to remove the beans from their pods ... A variety of dishes are prepared using these beans like sambar, usli, uppittu (upma), nippattu (snack), rotti...the list goes on.

Akki Rotti is perhaps a unique dish of Karnataka. Though it might sound similar to Thali peet of Maharashtra, this dish is prepared only with rice flour as a main ingredient. This is one of my favorite breakfast items. Generally it is prepared with only using onions and other spices but during Avarekaalu season you cant miss using them.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 3 cups
Chopped onions - 1 cup
Freshly grated coconut - 1 cup
Avarekaalu (cooked) - 1 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - 5-6 tbsp
Chopped green chillies - 2
Minced ginger - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 3 tsp
Salt


Method:
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and then add water slowly to make a thick dough as in the picture.
Since the rice flour does not have the elastic nature of wheat flour, it cannot be rolled out. Instead you have to use your bare hands to flatten them either directly into a pan, or use a moist cloth or plantain leaf. Here I am using plantain leaf.
Apply oil over the plantain leaf and your hands as well. Take a handful (large lemon sized) of dough and flatten it using hands over the leaf.


Heat a tava. Transfer the flatten rotti onto the tava and after 2-3 sec remove the leaf. Pour a tsp of oil and let it cook for 1-2 minutes and then turn the other side and pour a tsp oil and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Serve hot with chutney or brinjal ennegai (Recipe coming soon ...).

Preparation time: About 4-5 minutes for each rotti.
Serves: 5 people