Valachi bhaji- Goan recipe

Valachi bhaji ( cowpea pods vegetable):

Hello everyone,
Cowpea pods/ chavlichya shenga in marathi/ as called out as val in Goan language are widely consumed all over India. Each states recipe differs as per their culture. Along Maharashtra side, its called chavlichya shenga.

This vegetable is simple and quick to prepare and it cooks fast. It has loads of protein, fibre, vitamin and minerals. Its a very healthy vegetable. It took me lots of effort to search its English name, at last found that its called cowpea pods. Cowpeas are the black eyed beans or the chavli which resides inside the pods. When pods are raw and peas tender within, the whole pod is consumed in the form of it's vegetable. However when the pods dry up, the peas within are dried up and form a part of beans community called chavli. Chavli is edible again, its consumed in Goa by making its usli and tonak. Tonak recipe of chavli is already in my blog, you will find under breakfast section.

So coming back to the pods, today I am going to share with you the tender cowpea pods vegetable as per Goan style. Its loved by all from kids to adults and most of the time it forms part of veg menu on daily basis as well as on religious occasions like puja, etc..

Ingredients:
Val/cowpea pods-1/2 kg

Scraped coconut-2-4 tsp
Oil-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Hind or asafotedia- 1 small piece or 2 pinches
Green chillies-2 long slitted
Jaggery-2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Water-a fistful

Method:
Wash val or cowpea pods properly and cut them finely horizontally into small pieces.
Heat a vessel, add oil, Hing, mustard seeds, once they splutter add green chillies, saute and then chopped cowpea pods, saute and mix nicely.

Add water and cover and let it cook.
After 2 minutes add grated jaggery and salt and let it cook completely.
At last add scraped coconut and mix well.
You are done with your bhaji/vegetable.

A simple and easy method to prepare Goan recipe of valachi bhaji. This is a pure veg version of valachi bhaji prepared during any festive occasions of Goan Hindu Saraswat community. However some add onions and prepare this bhaji which tastes entirely different. We don't add onions in any of our preparation made for religious occasions like puja and any Naivedham to Lord. Such valchi bhaji without onion is accompanied in the Naivedham thali.

Serve with rice, dal( vann), lonche, papad, etc.

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