Guar Jhinga
From the regions of rural Gujrat comes the cluster bean, or guar. A flat bean that was once considered rather lowly. It has a bitter aftertaste, can be hard, and takes longer to cook than most other vegetables. The larger and older the cluster bean, the more defined its toughness. When cooking, it's best in season, and picking thin, young beans (kumri guar) gives you the best results. It is always best when the Parsi trilogy of spicy, sour, and sweet is applied when cooking it. The chillies give it the tikhu, but the khatu is dependent on unripe mangoes or fruit vinegar, and the jaggery well balances the mithu for this dish, leaving it with a lovely sheen as well.
From the regions of rural Gujrat comes the cluster bean, or guar. A flat bean that was once considered rather lowly. It has a bitter aftertaste, can be hard, and takes longer to cook than most other vegetables. The larger and older the cluster bean, the more defined its toughness. When cooking, it's best in season, and picking thin, young beans (kumri guar) gives you the best results. It is always best when the Parsi trilogy of spicy, sour, and sweet is applied when cooking it. The chillies give it the tikhu, but the khatu is dependent on unripe mangoes or fruit vinegar, and the jaggery well balances the mithu for this dish, leaving it with a lovely sheen as well.
Research also shows that the hot and arid lands of Texas grow it, as it produces guar gum, which is used in many products as a preservative. Its roots originate in parts of Africa.
Like most other foods, every recipe has to be good, and the cook has to wise up to the small details and nuances of what makes the dish the star rather than a failure at the dinner table.
Navsari, the old capital of Parsi culinary masterpieces, is now once again sharing its treasures. Udwada, a few miles away, and a much smaller township continue to compete. Either way, we have much to thank these places for for their brilliance in teaching us and handing us over so many traditional foods that we continue to enjoy and call our own. Surat also has a spot on this list.
Gujarat, being on the coast, offered an abundance of seafood, and prawns were common and easily available. To turn this plain old cluster bean into something special, prawns were often added to the recipe. Growing up, we used to love guar with prawns, as well as mutton, goat, or lamb pieces. My mother, the ever-perfectionist, could make it superbly. I can still remember the absolutely delicious taste of the simple, everyday food she could magically produce.
It's up to you to make the guar the focal point of this work of art rather than an afterthought.
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| Guar and jhinga served with rotli/chappati |
Guar jhinga
Prawns with
Guar beans
3 tbsp oil
2 large
onions finely chopped
2 tsp ground
ginger
2 tsp ground
garlic
1 ½ tsp
cumin powder
1 tsp red
chillie powder
1 tsp green
chillies finely chopped
1 ½ tsp salt
2 large
tomatoes
1 /2 kilo
tender guar beans
2 small
green raw mangoes peeled and sliced
1 cup water
2 tbsp
jaggery
½ kilo prawns, shelled, deveined and washed
½ kilo prawns, shelled, deveined and washed
Heat the oil
and fry the onions till golden brown. Add in the spices and simmer for a minute
or two.
Add the
tomatoes and cook for another minute.
Now add the
guar and mangoes. Add about a cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan
and cook the guar beans for 45 minutes till almost cooked through. The water must all evaporate. Lastly add the prawns and the jaggery and cook for
another 10 minutes stirring often. Keep on cooking and stirring until little
oil comes up on the sides of the pan.
Tips
Remove the string from the guar bean and cut into two or three pieces. The younger the bean is the tender the string and skin is.
Guar takes an hour to cook sometimes. It must become soft enough to eat but not into a mush.
You know when it is ready when the drops of oil rise to the side of the pan. This is called "tayl per avanu"; something one learns about a lot for this particular type of cooking.
You may substitute kebabs for prawns if you wish or simply serve it as a vegetarian dish by itself.
Read more about the origins of Parsi Food in my cookbook
The Art of Parsi Cooking;reviving an ancient cuisine.
For more Parsi regional recipes click on
Niloufer's Kitchen: Autumn
Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy
Read more on Niloufer's Kitchen in The Huffington Post Blog
Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka
Readers reviews
11th September 2016
Naila Valliani Narges I made the goar Ma shrimp. Turned out fantastic!
Naila Valliani Love the recipes Niloufer cos they are easy to follow!
