Beans Poriyal – Green Beans Stir fry – How to keep Green Beans Green?

Beans Poriyal is a south indian stir fry dish, usually an accompaniment for rice.  Veggie stir fries are a must in our house no matter what the menu is like… i have  shared long beans poriyal or payathangai poriyal another form of green beans and also a spicy andhra style green beans fry if you would like to try. There are lots & lots of other PORIYAL RECIPES to check under our page.

Many of my readers ask this question?? How to keep the green beans “Green”  even after cooking…. the BEANS ALWAYS LOOK GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE , isn’t it??? 😉

Well, there is no big secret to it..  just a little chemistry  :-)It’s the chlorophyll…. all green vegetable have these and steam cooking them in a covered steamer / kadai / pot is good way to preserve their nutrition as well as color. If chlorophyll comes in contact with any acidic (salt, tomato, lemon or even some masala powders) element it will lose its color… as simple as that!

Ingredients

• Green Beans – 30 (chopped)
• Onion – 1/4 cup
• Garlic – 3 cloves (crushed)
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon (kosher / kallu uppu)
• Sugar – a pinch

Ingredients for Tempering

• Oil –  1 Tablespoon
• Dry red chilli – 2 (you may use green too)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Split black gram – 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves – 6

Lets see how to make this Beans Poriyal..

Try our…. VALLARAI KEERAI PORIYAL            BRUSSELS SPROUTS PORIYAL

Things that keep them green…

1. Flash cooking in high flame is one method… chinese fried rice vegetables are always cooked this way… keeps them crisp and green or whatever color intact.
2. Adding a pinch of sugar does help to keep the color intact.
3. Steam cook covered with no water… the vegetable naturally release water when heated…and you cook them in their juice for about 5 to 7 minutes and that’s it! 
4. Always add salt in the end …. of course salt helps to preserve chlorophyll but adding too much in the beginning will release water… as a result prolonged cooked will result in loss of color.
5. General rule of thumb…less water, add pinch of sugar and add salt just before switching off! 
6. This way the vitamins, minerals as well as the color in them will be intact!

Try our VAZHAIPOO PORIYAL           KADAMBA KAI PORIYAL

Heat oil in a pan.. splutter mustard seeds, dry red chili, split black gram and finally few curry leaves and cumin seeds.  Add in that asafoetida dn pinch of turmeric at this stage. Immedaitely followed by chopped onion and crushed garlic. Let them fry for 2 minutes…

Now add the chopped green beans along with pinch of sugar (flame should be low medium) saute for a few seconds and immediately cover and steam cook for 5 to 7 minutes.. (thin cut will cook much faster, thick cuts takes about 8 minutes max) Do not cook more than that… it will kill the color.

Now open, the green beans will be green… perfectly cooked through… silently switch off!

Now sprinkle kosher salt (kallu uppu / crystal salt or cooking rock salt if free of iodine and makes your food taste great) saute for a minute… the salt will be absorbed quickly as the veggie is still hot, garnish with grated coconut and finish the dish!

There you go…. your Green Beans is still Green 😛

Try our… RAW PAPAYA PORIYAL      NOOLKOL PORIYAL      PURPLE CABBAGE PORIYAL

Notes

• Serves 3 to 4 (konjama sapta)
• You may alternate… use either dry red chilli or green chilli for variation.
• This color trick will work only for fresh green beans.. frozen green beans when thawed will have more water in it.. and the color will definitely change.