Cooking Pleasures: Happy Pongal/Sankranti And Healthy Beans Fry

Wish U A Very Happy Pongal / Sankranti to all my readers and my dear blog friends. Tomorrow we are going to celebrate sankranti. And today whatt we call is Bhogi. At my In-law's place we eat non-veg on bhogi and only vegetarian food on Sankranti. Generally, some days before the festival itself, actual preparations starts. Like preparing murukulu, appadalu and many different kinds of sweets and will be stored for the whole month to enjoy the food just like children, elders enjoy flying kites, before and after the festival. At my mom's place we all used to join my brother's as they fly kites we used to shout from back irrespective of who lost the kite:-)) It was great fun and I miss badly now. For bhogi at my Inlwas place, we prepare Dosa with spicy chicken curry. Last year at this time we were at my inlaw's place to celebrate this festival. Friends, dosa with chicken curry is very famous in Gudur and real tasty combo to eat. I shall post this combo some day after I come back from India or some time soon...I hope it to be today. But, unfortunately this is not that day. But today my post is quite opposite to the above I mentioned. Its a simple Beans Fry. This method can be applied to some other vegge's too. Like Goruchikkudu, Chikkudu, Dondakaaya and any kind of beans. I think it is also said to be Poriyal in Kerala. If Iam wrong please forgive me my friends and do correct me:-)

Ingredients:
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2 cups of Fresh Beans (cut into 1 to 2 inches)
3 to 4 dry red chillies
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
2 tsp chickpea powder/putnala podi(chick peas are roasted and made into powder)
2 small garlic cloves
1/4th to 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4th to 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 full stem curry leaves
1 to 2 tsp fresh grated coconut
A pinch or two Hing powder (or desired. I recommend not more than that)
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Salt as per taste
1 tbsp Oil for cooking (or as required)

Method:
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Cut Beans into above mentioned size and wash them. Now micro wave or pressure cook or boil on stove in the water with some salt (approx 1/2 tsp) until they are almost cooked.(Here If you want them not to be too soft then boil till they are half cooked) Drain any water if left and keep them aside. Here salt is added, so that it does'nt loose its color, which is optional.
Keep ready all the ingredients. Like wash dals in cold water for few minutes and drian water completely and keep aside. By doing this dals will be liitle soft and easy to chew. And cut garlic into tiny pieces.
Heat oil in deep pan, add mustard seeds. Once they start spluttering add cumin seeds and fry till they change color. Now add, dry red chillies (crush them little while adding with your hands) channa dal, urad dal (lentils) and hing. Fry for till dals turn into light golden color.
Now add curry leaves and fry till they are in crispy texture. Add boiled beans to it and mix well with other ingredients and fry for few seconds and cover the pan for couple of minutes, for beans to be settle down a little.
Remove the lid, add turmeric powder and required salt(be careful here, if you have already added some salt while beans are boiled) and fry for few minutes. Add grated coconut and mix well and fry again for few seconds.
Finally add chickpea powder/putnala podi as desired from above mentioned amount in ingredients. Mix well with all the ingredients and allow it to rest for 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with hot chapathis or hot plain rice or as a side dish.

Note: Instead of beans try the same with various beans like Goruchikkudu, chikkudukaaya, dondakaya etc.

Labels: beans, beans fry, vegetable dishes

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti on Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 2:41 PM | Permalink

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Hi Meena

The beans curry looks so delicious. I am sure it will be a great side dish with rice and dal.

Posted by Lakshmik | January 15, 2007 10:46 AM

hi meena,
happy pongal to u and ur family:)
cheers
supriya

Posted by Sia | January 16, 2007 2:49 AM

Hey Meena,

Great looking beans..and a nice write-up. Thanks for sharing.

Happy Sankranti to you too!

Nidhi.

Posted by Nidhi | January 16, 2007 7:39 AM

Hi,
Happy Pongal.Curry looks delicious..

Posted by Menu Today | January 16, 2007 6:45 PM

Thank You Lakshmik....do tell me when u give a try.Yes it is great side dish too:-)

Thank You Supriya!cheers:-))

Thank you Nidhi for ur nice words

Thank You MT..wish u the same dear:-)

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti | January 17, 2007 2:28 PM

Hi Meena,I saw your post but couldn't get in to comment.Blogger is going off and on me!Hope you had wonderful Sankrathi.
I love this beans dish,goes wonderful with chapatis too ,I am sure.Thanks Meena.Hope this time my comment ges through.

Posted by FH | January 17, 2007 4:02 PM

Hi Meena
Sorry for being late, I kinda assumed you were busy because you would be leaving, but all the best wishes for Pongal
Thanks also for the info, I was reading about "bhogi" in other blogs and wondering and now I know what it is

The beans look green and inviting.

Posted by Bong Mom | January 18, 2007 9:27 AM

Hi Meena
Have a wonderful trip. The beans bhaji looks good. :)

Posted by Mandira | January 18, 2007 8:07 PM

it's a quick-fix and delicious dish! Will look forward to the combo too!

Posted by Gattina Cheung | January 19, 2007 3:18 AM

Hope you had a great Sankranti, Meena. Beans fry with pappu, annam, rasam and papad is all I need for a comforting meal.:)

Posted by Anonymous | January 19, 2007 3:46 AM

Asha,

Your's and other fellow blogger friends commnets are definitely important for me, which gives me lot of encouragement and push me to go forward and post another delicious or taditional recipe. But I understand every body are being very busy , takes time to greet others.U dropped here, that matters me a lot.thank you asha.:-)

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti | January 19, 2007 9:28 AM

Hi Sandeepa,
no need to be sorry any time. I will be happy to see u here..but all I need is somebody there enjoys cooking my dishes and equally having them with there family:-) Thank You Dear .Have a great time with ur family always.

Thank you Mandira,
Iam looking forward for this trip:-))

Thank You Gattina..I will most that combo when I cook may be it takes some more time, when I come back from India:-)

Thank You Sailaja,
Exactly, I love all those u mentioned in most of the times.Thank you once again for dropping by:-))

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti | January 19, 2007 9:34 AM

Hi Meen...wishing you a great 2007 ahead,and hope you will a great time in India...bring back lots of pictures and stories!

take care,trupti

Posted by TNL | January 20, 2007 4:12 PM