Bilavalige(Rice Flour Chapati) and Pithikipappu(Mochai Beans Dal)......FFF#8

I am sure that all of you would know that today's post would be related to my Family Food Series. This is the 8th week of this series and If you have missed any of the previous one's check them here.

This week's post is very special for me as this is from my mom.How can I not have any entry from my mom, especially when this is a family series?I was actually wondering how to get an entry from my mom for this series and when I was clearing off the photos in my folder I realized that I already had an entry from her. She had prepared this dish for me when she visited us last year and I had happily clicked the photos then.It is more than a year since then and although I have been waiting to post this for a while somehow I never posted it- could be because I wasnt with the pictures. I am glad that I didnt post them until now as this is the perfect time given the current theme.
Coming to the introduction-I don't think that one needs to introduce their mother as everyone knows that MOMs are the best. Like everyone, even I am attached emotionally to my mom and I don't want to make this post an emotional one so let us just get to the recipe.

Coming to today's recipes Bilavalige and Pithikipappu is the most famous breakfast combination of our community and is considered as a very special breakfast and is must to be made for important guests.This is quite a laborious breakfast and one needs to expertize in making perfect bilavalige,after all the most laborious recipes would be the best tasting ones right??Bilavalige is nothing but rice flour chapati and is similar to akki rotti in karnataka but the process for making bilavalige is little different compared to akki rotti.Bilavaliges are rice flour chapatis which are white in color and extremely soft and they taste best when you eat them hot.
Avarekalu is very famous in Bangalore and as it is seasonal we make sure that we utilize them to the maximum extent in the season.We make various varieties with it like pithikipappu,usli, kheer,halwa,rotti,upma,rasam etc.Try this truly delicious combination in the avarekalu season.

Bilavalige(Rice flour Chapati/Akki Rotti):

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice flour
2 cups water
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
rice flour,for rolling chapatis

Method:

• Bring water to boil in a deep thick bottomed vessel and add salt and oil to it.
• Once the water comes to boil,mix a tsp of rice flour with 2-3 tsp water and add this to the mixture.This helps in not forming the lumps in the dough.
• Pour the rice flour into the water but do not mix it at all,leave the rice flour in water.
• Reduce the flame and let it cook for 15 mins.

• Now take a thick wooden stick(chapati rolling pin also works well here) and mix the rice flour into the water vigorously in one direction only.It will form a lump now and switch off the flame.
• Wait until the mixture becomes warm.It should not become cold,the whole process is to be done when it is hot.So take care not to burn your hand in this process.
• Wash and dry a polythene cover and place the mixture in it and knead it into a smooth dough.Place the mixture in a vessel and cover it with lid,take care not to cool the mixture.You can even knead the dough on baking sheet.

• Pinch in the dough and take orange sized ball and again knead it on the chapati stand.Rolling a rice chapati needs a lot of practice as the rice flour chapati keeps breaking while rolling.I am explaining two different ways to roll it,follow them which ever way you feel comfortable.
• Method-I for an experienced person:Sprinkle liberally rice flour over the chapati stand and on the kneaded round dough and roll it into a 6" dia circle using rolling pin like how we do rotis.While rolling keep pressing the edges to get a uniform round chapati and also use rice flour liberally while rolling.
• Method-II for a beginner:The easiest way to proceed for a beginner would be using a poori press.Clean,wash and wipe a polythene cover and cut into 5" dia rounds and grease the sheets on one side and place them on the sides of the press facing the oiled edges towards the center.Place the kneaded round dough and press it in the poori presser,you would get approximately 3" diameter round chapati.Now sprinkle rice flour over the chapati stand and on the kneaded round dough and roll it into a 6" dia circle using rolling pin like how we do rotis.

• Follow the same process of pinching the warm dough and kneaded the ball and rolling using two options.Pile up all the rice flour chapatis in a deep plate and keep it covered until you roast them.You can roll these rice flour chapatis much ahead before making them.You can even refrigerate it and fry them on next day.

• Heat the tawa and place the rice flour chapati on a hot tawa and roast it for a minute or so and turn it on to the other side and apply oil and once it is fried on the other side and apply oil and fry until you get to see small brown spots over it.These chapatis would be very soft and white in color with some brown spots.Do not over fry them,they will turn hard.

Serve them hot with Pithikipappu or coconut chutney or Bagara Baingan or Mixed vegetable Kurma.The ideal combination we prefer with this chapati is Pithikipappu.

Note:

• I have included few pictorials of my old posts for better understanding the process of making bilavalige.
• If the rolled rotis are refrigerated for half an hour before roasting them, they roast better.
• While refrigerating cover the rotis with a kitchen towel or place them in paper bag.

Pithikipappu(mochai beans curry/Fresh field beans Sambar/Hitikibele dal):

Ingredients:
2 cups avarekalu(mochai/hyacinth beans)
12-15 small onions,peeled
3 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tbsp grated jaggery
1 tsp mustard seeds
a sprig of curry leaves
4 tbsp ghee/oil
salt to taste

for masala paste:
1 big onion(roasted over the flame)
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp grated dry coconut
4-5 garlic pods
1" ginger,chopped
2 tsp khus khus
8 red chillies
3-4 byadige red chillies(for color)
2 tsp coriander seeds
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
1/2" cinnamon
3-4 laung
1 tsp oil

Method:for masala paste:

• Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon,laung and fry and then add red chillies,coriander seeds,cumin and pepper and fry well.
• Add ginger and garlic and saute for a minute.Add khus khus,grated coconut and switch off the flame and just warm the fresh coconut and dry coconut and let it cool a bit.
• Roast one big onion with skin over the flame directly until the skin turns dark brown in color.Use tongs or fork for this process.Remove the skin and grind it along with the roasted masalas to a fine paste adding little water.

for making pithikipappu:

• Soak mochai beans(avarekalu) in water for 4-5 hours or in luke warm water for 2 hrs.De husk outer skin and keep aside.

• Heat oil/ghee in a pressure pan or cooker and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and peeled small onions and fry until the onions change their shade.
• Add the dehusked beans and fry well until they turn light in color.

• Add ground masala and fry until good aroma comes and add approximately 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
• Allow the pressure to drop,remove lid and add salt,jaggery,tamarind pulp and add more water if required and boil for few minutes.The consistency should be similar to flowing dal.

Serve it hot with rice flour chapati/rice/wheat flour chapati/poori.The ideal combination with this dal is rice flour chapati.

Notes:
If you do not get fresh avarekalu,you can even follow the same process with fresh peas for a variation.Even this tastes nice.