Green Beans and Shredded Coconut

Green beans and shredded coconut pair together wonderfully in this side dish inspired by Karnataka’s palya. This recipe is simpler than the standard palya and calls for fewer ingredients.

The key to making this dish well is picking good quality green beans and cooking them al dente. Steer clear of beans that are limp and browning. The beans should be unspotted and fresh – they should break with a snap. With the main ingredient right, you have half the battle won. The rest follows in the recipe details…

You Need:

• Green beans (haricot verts) – 250 grams
• Water – 3 cups (for boiling)
• Fresh coconut – 1/2 cup, shredded
• Chana dal – 1 tablespoon
• Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – to taste (use sea salt if you can for finishing – buy here)
• Dry red chilies – 2 (optional)
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil – 2 teaspoons

How To Make Green Beans Coconut Stir Fry:

1. Prepare the ingredients

Wash and soak chana dal and urad dal in water for 30 minutes. Drain.

Trim the ends of the green beans. Chop them into small (about 0.5cm) equal-sized pieces.

Shred the fresh coconut using a food processor or grinder.

2.  Parboil the green beans

[In case the term “parboil” is unfamiliar to you: to “parboil” is to partly boil the food items as a first step in cooking. The food items are cooked in boiling water until they start to soften, then removed before they are fully cooked. The rest of the cooking happens through another means such as roasting or stir-frying.]

In a thick bottomed pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil along with a large pinch of salt. Add the chopped green beans to the pan. Keep the pan uncovered.

Once the water comes to a bubbling boil, set the heat to low. Stir around the green beans every minute. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the beans start softening – this should take about 4-6 minutes.

#FAQ How do you know when to take the pan off the heat? When the beans turn a somewhat translucent, darker green. Take a taste test and check if they are softer than raw but still have crunch – remember that the beans will continue to cook further after they have been removed from heat. If in doubt, err on the side of undercooking than over: you can cook longer when you stir-fry.

Drain the parboiled green beans.

3. Stir-fry

Heat two teaspoons of oil in a wide pan. Add to the hot oil mustard seeds. Let them splutter, then add chana dal, urad dal and dry red chili. Keep the heat low and cook the dals till they turn golden brown.

Add the asafoetida powder, mix and follow with the green beans.

Stir around and cook for a minute (longer if the beans feel raw).

When almost done, add the fresh shredded coconut to the pan and sea salt to taste. Mix well and turn off the heat.

Green beans coconut stir fry is ready.

Serve this stir fry on the side with a bigger Indian meal of rice/chapatis, dal and curry. Meal in the pic below (from the left clockwise): brown rice, green beans and shredded coconut, pomegranate raita, methi toor dal dry with caramelized onions.

Notes:

Parboiling before stir-frying gives the green of the haricot beans a nice pop of color. You could alternatively skip that step and stir-fry directly – in that case you would have to plan some covered cooking time, increase the stir-fry time, and adjust the quantity of oil.

Like this coconut-ty style of side dish? Try more of this kind: moringa leaves stir fry, chayote with coconut flakes, cabbage coconut stir fry.

For other haricot bean recipes, check out beans in tomato garlic sauce, carrot and beans stir fry, haricot beans with nuts and cranberries.