French Beans Poriyal ( French Beans Stir Fry)

Poriyal/ Stir fry is a part and parcel of everyday South Indian meal since it is a great accompaniment for rice with any gravy.  It is very  easy to prepare provided the cut vegetables are in hand.

French Beans Poriyal will take hardly 5 minutes to cook. It should not be overcooked, else  colour,  flavour and sweetness of the vegetable will get spoiled .

While talking about the health benefits of French beans, it is rich in vitamins, anti oxidants, dietary fibre, minerals essential for body metabolism. Researchers say that it prevents colon cancer due to its fibre content and helps in preventing age related macular degeneration(vision problem) in elderly people since it has β-carotene. It helps in reducing absorption of cholesterol and  excellent vegetable for diabetic people. These beans are very low in calories, so people on diet may also take a good amount of this vegetable.

Ingredients:

•   French Beans ( Chopped) – 1 cup
•   Onion (finely chopped)             - 1 No.(small size)
•   Green chilli (slitted)       - 1 No.
•   Coconut (scraped)         - 1 tbsp
•   Mustard                         - 1 tsp
•   Urad dhal                       - 1 tsp
•   Curry leaves                  - few
•   Oil                                 - 1 tsp
•   Salt as required

Method:

            Wash the beans thoroughly and chop the vegetable into small pieces. Transfer the beans in a kadai , cook the vegetable by sprinkling little water and salt by keeping the kadai closed with the lid for 3 to 5 mins. Check in between for water and if there is no water and the vegetable needs to get cooked still , sprinkle some more water and ensure the vegetable got cooked completely, remove from the stove. Place another kadai, pour oil, season with mustard, urad dhal, wait till it splutters, then add onion ,chilli, curry leaves. Sauté for few minutes till the onions become glossy, then add the cooked beans (without water), mix it well with all the seasoned items. Then add scraped coocnut, check for salt, mix everything evenly. Your beans poriyal is ready to serve with any rice.

Note:

1. As I already told, don’t over cook the vegetable. Add sufficient water to cook the vegetable to retain the crunchiness, colour of the vegetable.
2. The vitamins will  go away with water if you add more.
3. Onion is optional, you can prepare it without onion also.