Greening the Green Beans!

I love green beans, but dislike them when they are fried out of recognition, as is often done in Indian cooking. I especially love the way my mother cuts them - chopped really fine. When you chop green beans really fine, you need to stir fry it for just a few minutes on high heat to bring out the flavor, retain the color and texture and serve it as an accompaniment par excellence - a true gourmet delight!

My mother usually adds a finely chopped carrot to green beans - it makes the dish visually appealing as well as more nutritionally dense. Without much ado, here is the recipe - serve with brown or white rice and any sauce - sambar, rasam, or even with yogurt. This dish has just 1 tsp of olive oil. Low fat, crunchy, flavorful, yummy, and very healthy! Yeah - green beans!

















Here is what you need:
1 lb fresh green beans (pick the tender ones which look green and fresh)
1/2 carrot (chopped fine)
1 jalapeno pepper (chopped fine) (optional)
1 habanero pepper (chopped fine) (optional)
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal (optional, if you cannot lay your hands on this - but it gives a great crunch to the beans)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 pinch asofoetida powder (helps control the flatulence that beans are known to cause)
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
1 tsp Olive oil

Here is how you make this:
Rinse thoroughly and chop the green beans fine, as shown the picture. Wash and chop the carrot. In a pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait until the seeds crackle and then add the chopped peppers and fry until crisp. Frying peppers crisp will make them less spicy. Now add the urad dal and brown on low flame. Now add the chopped green beans and carrot. Add salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes. Now stir fry uncovered on high heat for a couple of minutes. Do not overcook. Take off the stove and garnish with grated coconut.

Serve with rice and rasam or rice and yogurt.

Enjoy!