Olan | ഒലൻ | Rose moong dal or red cow peas or black eyed beans cooked with Colocasia and Ash gaord in Coconut Milk

I learned this recipe from my friend Sneha. From then, it used be an item whenever i prepare sadya. Chembu(Colacasia) is a vegetable that is mostly found in almost all the vegetable gardens in the villages of Kerala. We used to steam them and have it for breakfast or at tea time along with a spicy onion chili chutney (Refer this).

For Olan you need
Red cow peas / Rose moong dal / van payar / black eyed beans (It is not red kidney beans) – 1/2 cup
Colocasia (chembu) – 1/2 cup cubed (tiny cubes)
Ash gourd(Elavan) – 1/2 cup cubed (tiny cubes)
green chilies – 2 slit
coconut milk – 1.5 cup of medium thickness
Asafoetida- 1 pinch
Salt to taste

To Temper (This step is optional)
Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
shallots sliced thin – 2
curry leaves – 5 nos

You have to,
Soak the beans overnight
Pressure cook for 3 whistles along with asofoetida and 1.5 cups water.
Wait till pressure goes. keep aside.
Add in the cubed colocasia and ash gourd with slit green chilies cook on a low fire until soft.
Add in coconut milk and cook for another 4 mins or so on low fire.
Remove from fire.
For tempering heat oil and add mustard and allow to pop up.
Add in shallots and curry leaves.
Add this to the cooked olan and mix well.

Note: Try not to refrigerate Olan and reuse. Make small quantity and finish on the same day itself.