Gavar Bhaji

Cluster bean dry stir-fry — fresh cluster beans (gavar/gavarphali) trimmed, de-stringed, and stir-fried in oil with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, cumin, turmeric, and asafoetida until just tender with a slight bite remaining, then seasoned with salt, red chilli powder, and a handful of freshly grated coconut folded in at the end. The cluster bean has a characteristic mild bitterness and a slightly crunchy, fibrous texture when cooked correctly — overcooked cluster beans become soft and lose their identity. The Vidarbha gavar bhaji uses more coconut and asafoetida than the Rajasthani ker-sangri style; it is a coastal Maharashtra influenced preparation. Eaten as a side with bhakri or rice; one of the most commonly grown and consumed vegetables across Vidarbha's farming communities, available in abundance during the winter crop season.