Olan Recipe

Homely and healthy Olan with Ashgourd and Cowpeas

Homely and healthy Olan with Ashgourd and Cowpeas. Oil and dairy free healthy Olan which is also super simple to make and just as delicious too!

Whole Food Plant Based Olan Recipe

Course: Course 2 (Vegetable Dish) and Side Dish for Course 3 (Grain Dishes) at Lunch & Dinner Meals
Cuisine: Kerala Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Ashgourd peeled & chopped
1 cup Cowpeas
1 Green Chili
1 tsp Cumin Powder / Jeera Powder
½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
½ cup Coconut grated
4tsp Miso Paste (Healthy Salt Alternative. See Nutrition Science Highlights below)
10 Curry Leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak cowpeas overnight. Start boiling with enough water to cover cowpeas fully.
2. In the meantime, peel ashgourd and reserve peel and seeds for ashgourd peel & seed chutney.
3. Chop ashgourd into large, bite-sized cubes. One cowpeas are half cooked, add chopped ashgourd and cook until both are fully cooked.
4. Grind coconut with jeera powder, black pepper powder, and miso paste. Mix into cooked ashgourd & cowpeas.
5. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve fresh!

Plant Based Chef Pro Tips for Best Olan Recipe

1. This is a very mild recipe, preferably served at the beginning of course 2, before other, more spicy, vegetable dishes.
2. Add ginger for a wider flavour profile.
3. Substitute cowpeas with black eyed peas for a differently colored olan.

Nutrition Science Highlights for WFPB Olan Recipe

1. Why miso paste? Miso paste is fermented & salted soya bean paste. American Heart Association Maximum recommended maximum daily salt intake of 3.75 grams per person to minimise risk of high blood pressure, stomach cancer and chronic kidney disease. In addition to helping us restrict salt intake, replacing salt with miso paste also helps by neutralising the negative effects of salt by soya phytonutrients. You can easily make fresh miso paste at home by mixing 100 grams of cooked soya paste with 10 grams of salt, or 10 tablespoons of cooked soya paste with 1 tablespoon of salt. If making at home, ensure to use immediately, or freeze in batches to use later. Or, simply use 3.75 grams of salt or less per day per person and add 18 to 20 grams (dry weight) of soya beans in any dishes, spread through the day!
2. Why not coconut milk? Coconut milk is a processed food, as coconut fiber is removed from coconut to extract coconut milk. It has been found to increase cholesterol and lead to heart attacks and strokes. Instead of coconut milk, just use finely ground coconut for a delicious dish with all the goodness of whole coconut.
3. Why nuts instead of oil? Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When nuts are pressed and oil is extracted, fiber and phytonutrients are lost, along with many other nutrients. Therefore, whole nuts are much healthier than oils, whether cold-pressed or refined. In addition, they provide the oil content we need to absorb fat-soluble phytonutrients from other whole plant foods! This may be why nuts are used to garnish nearly every traditional Indian dish!