Avre Gashi with Keerlu is a simple high-protein coconut based curry (vegan) using avro (dried hyacinth beans) and keerlu (tender bamboo shoots) with a seasoning of garlic. It is a favorite among the Konkani community of Mangalore in south India. It is normally served hot with rice and a side of vegetable stir fry.
It involves only only 3 steps; cooking the beans and bamboo shoots (if it is fresh), making the coconut paste and preparing the seasoning. The whole dish can be prepared under 20 minutes, if you have cooked beans and bamboo shoots ahead of time.
You can use any type of dried beans like red kidney beans, black eyed beans, northern or white navy beans etc. instead of hyacinth beans. Instead of bamboo shoots, you can use raw jackfruit (canned or fresh), potato (peeled and cubed) etc.I had some salted bamboo shoots available in my refrigerator, so decided to use this in this dish.
For the sourness in the dish, instead of tamarind, I have used bimbul or bimbli (which I had lots of leftover after using some for my bimbul/bimbli chutney) and had preserved it by boiling it for a few minutes with some salt, cooling and refrigerating it.
I had some salted bamboo shoots available in my refrigerator, so decided to use this in this dish. For the sourness in the dish, instead of tamarind, I have used bimbul or bimbli (which I had lots of leftover after using some for my bimbul/bimbli chutney) and had preserved it by boiling it for a few minutes with some salt, cooling and refrigerating it.
Enjoy this traditional coconut curry of South India with rice and vegetable stir fries like broccoli talasani, beans upkari, midke sange upkari or any other stir fry.
Lets make this!
A simple coconut based curry using avro (dried hyacinth beans) and keerlu (tender bamboo shoots) with a seasoning of garlic
Ingredients
- 1 cup avro or hyacinth beans
- ½ cup salted bamboo shoots, chopped
- ¾ cup grated coconut
- 8 to 10 dry red chillies, slightly roasted (less or more depending upon how less or more spicy you want)
- 5 to 7 (fresh or preserved) bimbli or bimbul or 1 small marble sized tamarind
- Salt to taste
- For seasoning:
- 6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Clean, rinse and soak the beans overnight (or 8 to 10 hours) in lots of water.
- The next morning, drain the water, place in a pressure cooker or pan, add enough water up to at least 1 inch above the beans and cook till done (after 1 whistle, reduce heat and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or less, depending upon the quality of the beans).
- Meanwhile, prepare the coconut masala:
- In a blender or mixer, grind or blend the coconut, roasted dry red chillies and tamarind with a little water to a fine paste.
- Once the beans are cooked, transfer to another vessel, add the coconut paste, bamboo shoots (rinsed and drained) and salt; mix well.
- Bring to boil on high and then reduce heat to low.
- As the gravy is boiling, prepare the seasoning:
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil. Once it heats up, add the garlic cloves and sauté on medium till light golden brown and fried.
- Add this seasoning to the boiling ghushi and mix well.
- Serve hot with a steaming bowl of rice and any vegetable stir fry or rotis, parathas, bread etc.
Notes
If you get fresh bamboo shoots from the market, you will have to wash it, cut it and soak it in water for a couple of days (change the water everyday) and then cook it along with the beans in the pressure pan. If canned bamboo shoots are available, use them after rinsing them thoroughly.
This coconut ghushi can be prepared by using any type of dry beans like navy beans, black beans, red kidney beans etc.
If you do not have access to bamboo shoots, use, potato, raw jackfruit, pumpkin etc, instead.
Coconut oil is the key ingredient in all or most Mangalorean Konkani dishes (Mangalore being a coastal Karnataka town with lots of coconut tree!!). You can substitute any other oil of your choice.
Step-by-step method:
Clean, rinse and soak the beans overnight (or 8 to 10 hours) in lots of water.
The next morning, drain the water, place in a pressure cooker or pan, add enough water up to at least 1 inch above the beans and cook till done (after 1 whistle, reduce heat and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or less, depending upon the quality of the beans). You can add bamboo shoot along with this if it has to be cooked.
Meanwhile, prepare the coconut masala:
In a blender or mixer, grind or blend the coconut, roasted dry red chillies and tamarind with a little water to a fine paste.
Once the beans are cooked, transfer to another vessel, add the coconut paste, bamboo shoots (rinsed and drained) and salt; mix well.
Bring to boil on high and then reduce heat to low.
As the gravy is boiling, prepare the seasoning:
In a small saucepan, heat the oil. Once it heats up, add the garlic cloves and sauté on medium till light golden brown and fried.
Add this seasoning to the boiling ghushi and mix well.
Serve hot with a steaming bowl of rice and any vegetable stir fry or rotis, parathas, bread etc.
Note:
If you get fresh bamboo shoots from the market, you will have to wash it, cut it and soak it in water for a couple of days (change the water everyday) and then cook it along with the beans in the pressure pan. If canned bamboo shoots are available, use them after rinsing them thoroughly.
This coconut ghushi can be prepared by using any type of dry beans like navy beans, black beans, red kidney beans etc.
If you do not have access to bamboo shoots, use, potato, raw jackfruit, pumpkin etc, instead.
Coconut oil is the key ingredient in all or most Mangalorean Konkani dishes (Mangalore being a coastal Karnataka town with lots of coconut tree!!). You can substitute any other oil of your choice.
[…] If you are interested in more Konkani coconut based curries, do try: Sprouted Mung Bean Ghushi, Avre Ghashi with Bamboo Shoots etc. […]