Olan or rather Zolan

Olan with Zucchini

Ingredients:

2 large Zucchini, peeled and cubed
1 can of black eyed beans
1 can of thick coconut milk
3-4 green chillies slit
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbs coconut oil or any veg oil
2 springs of curry leaves
3 dry red chillies
3-4 shallots or pearl onions
salt to taste

Method:
Boil Zucchini with 1/2 the coconut milk and 1- 2 cups water, 1 spring of curry leaves and green chillies and salt till tender. Add the canned beans after rinsing well in water and the rest of the coconut milk and just before the curry starts boiling take it off the stove and garnish with spluttered mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves, pearl onions or shallots in coconut oil.
Serve with rice as a side.
This experiment with zucchini turned out to be my 4 yr old's must have biweekly list. I also sneak in other veggies if available. Traditionally Olan is made with pumkins and gourds or yam.

Zucchini Thoran with a Zing

Zucchini 4 -6 nos. chopped coarsely
Onion 1 no. chopped coarsely
Coconut scraped 5 heaped tbs
Green chillies 4-5 nos
Hing - a pinch or two
Jerra - 1 tsp
Garlic - 2 cloves crushed
Red chillies- 4 nos
Mustard seeds - for tempering
Curry leaves - for tempering
Oil - 2 Tbs
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a wok, splutter mustard seeds, add jeera, red chillies, curry leaves and add garlic,coconut and onion, cook it till aromatic. Add hing and turmeric, zucchini and green chilies and salt and cook on a high flame till done. Don't cover the wok while cook or the dish will become soggy. Enjoy with rice or roti.