Olan

Olan is a traditional stew from God’s own country-Kerala.Black eyed peas are generally used but I used red bean.I am not sure if they season it but I did and it added color and flavor to the dish!

I used:

Ash gourd-1 cup,chopped
Red bean-1/4 cup, soaked overnight
Coconut milk-1 cup thick
Salt to taste
Red chillies-3
Curry leaves a few
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Jeera -1/2 a teaspoon
Coconut oil-1 teaspoon

1. Pressure cook red bean for one whistle, drain and keep aside.
2. Heat a little water in apan and put in pumpkin and cook till it is almost done.
3. Add the red bean,salt,coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes till it thickens a bit.
4. Transfer into a serving bowl.
5. Heal oil in a small pan and put in mustard,jeera,red chillies,curry leaves
6. When the mustard splutters and curry leaves crisp pour over the olan and serve with steamed rice and pappad.

Note

• Since I had forgotten to soak red bean the nite before,I put it into the rice cooker with lots of water and kept it in the ‘cook’ mode for a couple of hours and the beans was cooked.
• I microwaved the pumpkin pieces in the microwave of 5 minutes and mixed everything together in a heated pan and later seasoned it.
• Coconut oil brings out the authentic flavor of the dish but you can also use any other cooking oil.

This olan along with Brinjal sambar,Poondu rasam,Kala channa sundal was packed for hubby’s lunch box.Sending this to RV’s and Sudhesna’s – Food for seven stages of life

Healthy eating..