Beans poriyal is a traditional South Indian dish made with green beans, spices, curry leaves and fresh coconut. Serve it with rice, roti or as a side in any meal. Make it on the stovetop in a pan or in the Instant Pot.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 250 grams green beans ((preferably fresh and tender))
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons coconut ((fresh, frozen or desiccated unsweetened))
  • ½ teaspoon chilli powder (or ¾ tsp sambar powder or 1 green chilli)
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoon oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal ((optional))
  • 1 teaspoon chana dal ((optional))
  • ⅛ teaspoon hing ((asafoetida) (optional))
  • 1 red chilli (broken)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Cut off both the edges of beans. Rinse them well in lot of water or under running water. Drain them.
  2. Chop to ¼ inch pieces.

How to make Green Beans Poriyal

  1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard, urad dal, chana dal and red chili.
  2. When the dal turn golden, add hing and curry leaves.
  3. Fry till the curry leaves turn crisp.
  4. Add chopped beans,turmeric along with salt and saute for 2 mins.
  5. Cook covered for 2 to 3 mins on a low flame. This helps to release the moisture.
  6. If needed sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsps water. Cover and cook until soft and tender.
  7. Add sambar powder or chili powder and coconut.
  8. Mix well and saute for a minute.
  9. Switch off and serve beans poriyal with rice.

Instant pot Green Beans Poriyal

  1. It is important to chop the beans to at least ½ inch pieces. If you chop them too small, they will become mushy.
  2. Press saute button on your instant pot. Pour oil to the steel insert.
  3. When the oil turns hot, add mustard, red chili, urad dal and chana dal. Saute for a minute or so until the dal turns golden.
  4. Then stir in curry leaves and hing. Add chopped beans, turmeric and salt.
  5. Press cancel and pour 2 tablespoons water. Mix and secure the Instant pot with the lid. Press pressure cook and set the timer to "zero" minutes.
  6. Once done, quick release the instant pot carefully. Open the lid and add red chilli powder or sambar powder. Mix well and saute just for a minute or so until the sambar powder smells good. If you see any moisture at the bottom, simply evaporate it. Add coconut and mix well.
  7. Stir beans poriyal and serve it.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.