Green Beans Masala Poriyal

Blogging Marathon# 58: Week 2/ Day 2

Theme: Dry Vegetable Sautes

Dish: Green Beans Masala Poriyal

This green beans curry is spicy and is a great variation to regular green beans curry that I make at home. Recipe is from Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan.

Poriyal is Tamil name for fried or sauteed vegetables. In our home, anything made with a vegetable is called 'kura'. If it is a dry curry it is called podi kura, gravy based curries don't usually get any prefix and they are simply called kura. So it is interesting to hear the various names for curries in other languages -- poriyal, thoran, palya etc etc.

The spice paste added to this curry is cooked till it is dry and crisp which gives the dish an almost parippu usili kind of texture. But this is spicier and easier to make than usili. Serve with steamed rice and dal for a complete meal. The same spice paste can be used with cluster beans (guvar, goru chikkudukaya) or green peppers. Tastes great with mor kuzhambu and Mysore rasam.

Green Beans Masala Poriyal

Ingredients:

• 4cups (about kg) Green Beans, chopped fine
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 1tsp Chana dal/ Bengal gram dal
• 1tsp Urad dal/ Black gram dal
• 1tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Dry red Chili
• 6~10 Curry leaves
• To taste Salt

For the Spice Paste:

• 3tbsp Chana Dal/ Bengal gram dal
• 1tbsp Urad dal/ Black gram dal
• 2tbsp Coriander seeds
• 4 Dry Red chilies
• tsp Asafoetida
• 4tbsp Fresh grated Coconut
• Marble size ball Tamarind

Method:

1. Make the Spice Paste: Heat 2tsp oil in a pan and add chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, dry red chilies, asafoetida and fry till they are fragrant and turn lightly golden. Let the mixture cool and grind into a paste along with coconut and tamarind.
2. Steam or microwave the beans until tender. Keep ready.
3. Heat 1tbsp in a saute pan, add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and dry red chili. Once the seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and the ground paste. Cook on low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is dry and crisp, about 4~5 minutes.
4. Next add the cooked green beans and salt. Mix well, cover and cook for about 4~5 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve hot with rice.

 

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 58.