Pavta Batata

Before I go on to today's recipe, let me tell you about the two wonderful people at home.Hubby is a person who can have all the vegetable curries and still ask if I can prepare some more for dinner.Even if the lunch menu is Fried rice with vegetables or vegetable pulao ,he would still ask for a vegetable side dish.When he is at home on weekends,the lunch menu must have a minimum of two vegetable curries!

The other wonderful person is, of course, my lil angel.She is just like her dad!She would rather have a bowlful of vegetable curry than a bowl of rice.To her all the vegetables are 'yummy potato ' .Yes,like any other kid [or adult] she loves potato.All other vegetables are savored with equal gusto.If I prepare any dish with legumes it become 'yummy pattani[peas].

For me though,vegetables were secondary items in a meal and the main one being pappad!No meal would be complete without it and many a times mom's friends would jokingly remark that if I continue to eat pappads like this,my [future] hubby would have to slog more just to buy pappads and oil to fry it!The number of pappads I would have would be a minimum of half a dozen per meal.I would have Masala pappad with tea in the evening.Now you can decide what type of person I was in spite of knowing that goodness of eating vegetables.

After the wedding,when I cooked the meal, I realized that my 'pappad fantasy' had to vanish.I found out that he was not fond of pappad or any fried snack[except one-Bajji] and I found it boring[!!] to fry pappads just for me.

Now I have joined my brood and I have come to savor vegetables with more interest.

This weekend,I wanted a new dish and remembered bookmarking Pavta Batata from DK of Chef in you.It is a Maharastrian Dish and is a delectable combination of Lima beans and Potato.

Lil angel was the first to taste it and had a bowl of just this dish and refused to eat rice.Hubby who had it with his lunch enjoy it even more and finished the bowl all by himself sharing a little with MIL!

So I must say this was an instant hit with my family.I followed the Original recipe with just a tiny weeny change here and there.

You need:

Lima beans-1 cup
Potato- 1,peeled and chopped
Onion-1 ,chopped
Coconut -1/4 cup,grated
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Cumin powder-1/2 a teaspoon
Bay leaf-1
Mustard seeds-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoons
Curry leaves- a few
Oil-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

Soak lima beans overnight.Drain and pressure cook adding enough water till soft but not mushy.Drain and keep aside.
Microwave the potato for 5 minutes or till soft.Heat oil in a pan and put in mustard,cumin seeds,asafoetida,curry leaves,bay leaf.When the mustard splutters put in onion and saute till soft.Put in chilli powder, turmeric powder,cumin powder and saute for a minute.Add the cooked beans and the potato and stir to mix.After a couple of minutes put in the grated coconut and mix well.Serve garnished with coriander leaves.


A tasty dish ready in a matter of minutes!!

Happy cooking...