Avarekalu bhath is an aromatic and delicious rice variety in Karnataka, Avarekalu or Field Beans is much loved and is quite common during winter season here in south India. In winter it is season for this beans, every meal in a Kannadiga home will have at least one item made of Avarekalu, specially Mysore – Bangalore region.

Preparation time – 20 min

Cooking time – 25 min

Serves – 4

Ingredients –

Hitikida avarekalu / Hyacinth beans – 1 cup or 1 1/2 cup (the hyacinth beans, soaked and the skin peeled)

Fresh Methi leaves – 1 bunch chopped

Coriander leaves – 1 bunch chopped

Pudina (mint) – 1 bunch chopped

Onion – 2- 3 medium chopped

Tomato – 3-4 no’s chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbs

Coriander powder – 1 tbs

Chilly powder – 2 tsp (adjust to your taste)

Garam masala powder –  1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Bay leaves – 1 or 2 no’s

Cloves – 5 -6 no’s

Cinnamon – 3- 4 small sticks

Star anise – 2 no’s

Cardamom – 3 no’s

Rice – 2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

Ghee – 1 tbs

Method – 

To make or to prepare Hitkida – avrekalu bhath –  

Keep all the ingredients to start as shown in the image. Rinse rice in water, soak it and keep ready.

Heat a pressure pan by adding oil in it, when it is hot, add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom (open the cover of cardamom), saute in oil for a minute.

Add chopped onion and chopped herbs and fry until onion turns to translucent.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry until you get a fresh aroma.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry until tomatoes becomes soft, until oil separates from it.

Then add Hitkida avrekalu into it and saute for a minute together.

Add coriander powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder, mix altogether

Add salt to taste.

Add 4 cup of water to cook 2 cup of rice and bring it to boil, check the taste add salt or chilly powder if necessary. when the mixture begins to boil add rice into it and stir. Close the lid of the pan and cook in a low flame for 10- 15 min in a low flame. Remove from the flame.

When the pressure in the cooker settle down by its own, remove the lid and add 1 tbs of ghee into it and mix altogether properly and rest it for 5 to 10 min before you serve.

Transfer the dish to a serving plate and Enjoy aromatic Hitkida Avarekalu Bhath with coconut chutney and cucumber slices.