Stir-Fried Green Beans with Coconut
A flavorful Indian-style green bean dish made with aromatic spices, shredded coconut, and split peas. The beans are cooked until tender with a delightful combination of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and warming spices.
Ingredients
- •3 tablespoons canola oil
- •2 teaspoons yellow split peas
- •1 tablespoon black mustard seeds (optional)
- •1 teaspoon hulled black gram beans (urad dal; optional)
- •3 whole dried red chiles
- •8 pieces curry leaves
- •1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- •⅛ teaspoon asafoetida powder (optional)
- •½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- •¾ pound green beans
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •½ teaspoon saambhar powder or rasam powder (optional)
- •1 cup water
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Combine the oil, yellow split peas, and mustard seeds, if using, in a large wok, kadai, or frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the split peas turn golden brown. 1 to 2 minutes. (Cover if using mustard seeds-they pop and splatter-and cook until you hear them crackle.)
2 min
- 2.
Add the urad dal, chiles, curry leaves, if using, and cumin and cook uncovered, stirring, 1 more minute. (Stand back if using curry leaves; they spit when they hit the oil.)
1 min
- 3.
Add the asafoetida, if using, and 1/4 cup of the coconut and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the beans and salt and cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
5 min
- 4.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup coconut, the saambhar or rasam powder, if using, and the water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes.
10 min
- 5.
Uncover and cook, stirring often, until all of the water has evaporated, about 5 more minutes. Taste for salt and serve hot.
5 min