OLAN - SIDE DISH

OLAN Olan is a very simple side dish made of Ash gourd, Pumpkin, a handful of black eyed beans, one or two chilies, coconut milk and coconut oil. It forms an important part of any Sadya. Though this curry does not make use of any spices the right proportion of all the ingredients makes it very delicious. Commonly, Olan is prepared using the Ash gourd and cowpeas(Vellapayaru). But my mother prepare using a combination of both ASH GOURD and Pumpkin(parngikkay). My mother also prepares a version with only parangikkay and few yard long beans(Paccha payaru or Karramani) instead of cowpeas. I guess, every part of Kerala has its own version.. Serves – 4 Ingredients Ash gourd – 3 Cup, chopped Pumpkin – 3 Cup, chopped Cowpeas/Karamani – 1/4 cup Green Chilly – 1 or 2 Thin Coconut Milk – 1 cup Thick Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp Jaggery a little Salt to taste Method Pressure cook the Black eyed beans and keep aside. (Soaking the beans for a few hours helps in cooking faster). Remove skin and cut ash gourd and pumpkin into 1 ½ inch thin square pieces. Slit the green chilly. Now in a wide pan, put the ash gourd pieces at the bottom and then put the pumpkin pieces. Add the green chilly. Add the think coconut milk and cook on medium flame till the vegetables are almost cooked. Drain the water from the cooked cowpeas, add it to the gourds, with little jaggery and salt to taste. Allow this to boil, uncovered till OLAN becomes a little thick. Remove from heat and add coconut milk and coconut oil. Mix well. (Take care not to mash the vegetables too much while stirring, though usually the pumpkin does get mashed) ‘ Yummy olan is ready