Ulava charu is an old, rustic dish from the Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, made from horse gram, a hardy lentil grown in dry areas. Traditionally the horse gram was boiled for hours and the cooking liquid strained off, then simmered down with tamarind and spices. It is believed to warm the body and was popular in winter, and it has since become a speciality of upscale Andhra restaurants.
The charu is dark brown, thick and glossy, with an earthy, nutty, slightly smoky flavour balanced by the sourness of tamarind. It is mixed with hot rice and finished with a spoon of fresh cream or butter, which mellows the tang. Some people eat it like a soup. It is also sold in jars at some Andhra sweet and pickle shops.
At a glance
| Region | Andhra Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Andhra |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Soup |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 90 minutes |
| Total time | 105 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | horse gram / tamarind / onion / garlic / cream |
Ingredients
For the horse gram stock
- 1 cup horse gram (ulavalu), soaked overnight
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the charu
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
- 1 tsp grated jaggery
- salt to taste
To serve
- fresh cream or white butter
- finely chopped onion
Method
- Pressure cook the soaked horse gram with salt and 6 cups water for 10-12 whistles on medium heat, or simmer in an open pot for 2-3 hours, until very soft.
- Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, pressing the beans lightly. Keep the cooked horse gram for a sundal or salad. Grind 2-3 tbsp of the cooked beans with a little stock and add to the liquid for body.
- Squeeze and strain the tamarind to get thick extract.
- Heat oil in a heavy pan. Splutter mustard seeds, then add cumin, fenugreek and red chillies. Add curry leaves, onion, garlic and green chillies and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.
- Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and fry for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the horse gram stock and tamarind extract, add jaggery and salt, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, dark, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Serve hot over rice, topped with a spoon of cream or butter and chopped onion.
Tips
- Long, slow reduction is what develops the deep colour and flavour; do not rush it.
- The charu keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge and thickens further.
- Horse gram must be well soaked and fully cooked; it is a very hard lentil.
Serve with
Hot rice with fresh cream and onions, or as a soup with a dollop of butter.