French Beans & Moong Dal Stir Fry (French Beans with Split Green Gram)

  

          This is a simple homemade style french Beans stir fry cooked with split moong dal (green gram lentil). I added some sambar powder to give a South Indian flavor. It is best relished as a side dish with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti, curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. 

          French Beans and the split green gram lentil have a fair amount of fibre and protein. So it is a perfect side dish for the young and old alike. Made into a roll / Frankie, it can be a great lunch box meal too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazingly healthy stir fry dish.

• 400 gms. Beans, chopped
• 1/4 cup split moong dal, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 whole dry chili, broken
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Boil the chopped French beans and the roasted moong dal in enough water till they are soft. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the red chili and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

          Add asafoetida, urad dal and Chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color. Add the onion, ginger, curry leaves and garlic. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the boiled French beans-moong dal, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

          When done, add lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice, curd rice, rasam rice, paratha, tandoori roti or chapatti. 

                        Heat oil & temper with red chili & mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

                   Add asafoetida, urad dal & Chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color. 

                         Add the onion, ginger, curry leaves & garlic. Sauté till light brown. 

                       Add the boiled French beans-moong dal, salt, turmeric powder and 

                       sambar powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

           When done, add lime juice & coriander leaves.

                       Serve hot with steamed rice, curd rice, rasam rice, paratha, tandoori 

                       roti or chapatti. 

Cabbage Poriyal

          Cabbage Poriyal is a simple stir fry dish, a South Indian preparation, very popular in Tamil Nadu. Both healthy and nutritious, this side dish is a very quick recipe with fresh grated coconut added to the end product. I also added some peanuts and coriander leaves, which is purely optional.

          It is almost similar to Cabbage Thoran, another kerala speciality. Onions may be added if preferred. It can be relished as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 small size cabbage, shredded
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 tsp. split urad dal
• 2 slit green chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seed and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the chana dal, urad dal, green chilies, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the cabbage, roasted peanuts, salt and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Stir at intervals. 

          Switch off the flame. Add the coconut and coriander leaves. Give it a toss and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice too.

                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seed and dry red chilies. Then add chana
                  dal, urad dal, green chilies, asafoetida & curry leaves. Sauté few seconds.

                                  Add cabbage, roasted peanuts (opt), salt & 1/4 cup water. 

                                  Cover & cook on a low flame till done. Stir at intervals. 

                                 Switch off the flame. Add coconut & coriander leaves (opt). 

                Serve with rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice.

Raw Banana Poriyal (Raw Banana Stir Fry with Coconut - Tamilian Cuisine)

          This is a very popular side dish from the State of Tamil Nadu and is included in the menu platter / meal in any South Indian restaurant. It is a simple preparation with lots of fresh grated coconut added to the end product. 

         This simple delicacy is traditionally relished as a side dish with curd-rice, sambar-rice or rasam-rice. It can also be served with any kind of Indian bread. It is a quick recipe, both healthy and nutritious with minimum of oil and spices. 

• 2-3 raw banana, peeled & chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1-2 green chilies, slit (opt)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the chopped banana and salt. Give it a stir and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle some water at intervals. 

           When done, switch off the flame and add the coconut. Give it a toss and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

Beetroot Poriyal (Beetroot Stir Fry with Coconut - Tamilian Style)

           If you are looking for a simple and a healthy veggie stir fry dish, then go ahead and prepare this Beetroot Poriyal. It is a South Indian side dish, very popular in Tamil Nadu. It is a very quick recipe with lots of fresh grated coconut added to the end product.

           It is almost similar to Beetroot Thoran, a kerala speciality. Onions may or may not be added according to individual preference. It can be relished with either rice or chapattis, but it goes especially well with curd-rice or sambar-rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 medium size beetroot, cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 tsp. split urad dal
• pinch of asafoetida (opt)
• 1-2 red chilies
• 2-3 slit green chilies
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the chana dal, urad dal, green chilies, red chili, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the beetroot and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Stir at intervals and sprinkle water if needed.

          Switch off the flame. Add the coconut and coriander leaves. Give it a toss and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice too.

                 Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add chana dal, urad dal, green 
                 chilies, red chili & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add beetroot & salt. Cover & cook on a low flame till done. Stir at
                   intervals & sprinkle water if needed.

                                 Switch off flame. Add coconut & coriander leaves. 

                                 Give it a toss.

                      Serve with rice or chapattis. Goes well with curd-rice / sambar-rice.

Carrot Poriyal - Cuisine from Tamil Nadu

           Carrot Poriyal is a simple stir fry dish, a South Indian preparation, very popular in Tamil Nadu. It is a healthy and a nutritious side dish that does not take much time to prepare. It is almost similar to Carrot Thoran, another kerala speciality. Onions may be added if preferred. It can be relished as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 med. size carrots, cut into small pieces
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 tsp. split urad dal
• 2-3 slit green chilies
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the chana dal, urad dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the carrots and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Stir at intervals and sprinkle water if needed.

          Switch off the flame. Add the coconut and coriander leaves. Give it a toss and serve as  a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice.

                 Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add chana dal, urad dal, green 
                 chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                         Add carrots & salt. Cover & cook on a low flame till done. Stir at 
                         intervals & sprinkle water if needed.

                             Switch off flame. Add coconut & coriander leaves. Give it a toss.
                 

                 Serve with rice or chapattis. Goes very well with curd-rice or sambar-rice.

Banana Stem Poriyal (Vazhai Thandu Poriyal - South Indian Style)

          
          Banana Stem in general has a lot of health benefits. So try this simple stir fry of banana stem cooked with fresh grated coconut. It is a very popular South Indian preparation (especially in Tamil Nadu) and is relished as a side dish with sambar-rice or curd-rice combo. So check out the step by step guide pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

• 5-6" long Banana stem, sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split green gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1-2 onions, chopped
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp. fresh coconut, grated

          Remove the outer portion of the stem and cut into roundels, by removing the fibrous thread with your index finger. Then slice them thinly and dip in some buttermilk immediately to prevent discoloration.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, green chilies and red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds more.

          Add the onions and fry till light brown. Add the soaked banana stem and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Keep sprinkling some water at intervals.

          Now add 2 tbsp. coconut and mix well. Take off the flame and garnish with the remaining  coconut. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                 Remove the outer portion of the stem & cut into roundels, 
                                 by removing the fibrous thread with your index finger. 

                                             Then slice them thinly......

                          ..... & dip in some buttermilk immediately to prevent discoloration.

                      Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds. Add urad dal, 
                      chana dal, curry leaves, green chilies & red chilies. Sauté few sec.

                                Add onions & fry till light brown. 

                                Add soaked banana stem & salt. 

                                 Cover & cook on low flame till done. Keep sprinkling water.
                      

                                 Now add 2 tbsp. coconut & mix well. Take off the flame. 

                          Garnish with the remaining coconut & serve as a side dish with 
                          either rice or chapattis.