Kothavarangai poriyal recipe – easy and delicious South Indian style cluster beans stir fry. This recipe has cluster beans ( guar / gawar phalli ) flavored with coconut and spices. It goes well as a side dish for rice or chapathis.
I love simple sabzis which can be prepared quickly and at the same time, taste good. This cluster beans poriyal too is easy to make in minutes.
When I prepare a South Indian lunch, I like to pair this poriyal with sambar or gravy like karuveppilai kuzhambu. I even serve it with rotis sometimes.
Cluster beans have a slightly bitter taste. I used coconut in this poriyal, which helps to counter the bitterness of the beans.
For other poriyal recipes do check out
This recipe is very easy to make with just a few ingredients. I used pressure cooker to first cook the beans. Instead, you can just boil the beans in a pan till it turns soft. Then do the tempering with a few spices, add the coconut paste and cook for a few minutes. That’s it. The sabzi is ready. It is basically a no-onion no-garlic dish. The coconut and spices give a nice taste to the kothavarangai. Do try this simple recipe.
Though the humble cluster beans have a bitter taste, they are nutritious and are good to be included in our diet. They are rich in dietary fiber and low in calories. Additionally, they are also a good source of protein. Lets move on to the recipe for easy kothavarangai poriyal.
How to make kothavarangai poriyal step by step
- Firstly, wash, trim the ends of kothavarangai and chop them into around 1 inch pieces. Take the chopped kothavarangai in a pressure cooker along with salt, a pinch of tumeric powder and 1/2 cup water.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium flame and remove from heat. Once the pressure has released by itself, remove the lid of the cooker. Keep the cooked kothavarangai aside. Also, retain the the water in which the kothavarangai was cooked.
- Meanwhile, dry roast coriander seeds in a kadai or pan till they change color. Then transfer the roasted coriander seeds to a small bowl.
- In the same pan, heat 1/4 tsp oil. Add chana dal, urad dal and dry red chillies. Fry till the dal turns golden brown in color and trransfer the fried ingredients to the bowl.
- Once they cool down slightly, blend roasted spices, grated coconut and salt in a mixer or blender with little water.
- In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and saute for 2 seconds. Then add the cooked kothavarangai. Finally, add the ground coconut paste.
- Add the water which was retained after cooking the kothavarangai.
- Stir and let this cook on a slow flame till all the water has dried up. Then remove from heat. Cluster beans poriyal is now ready to be served.
Kothavarangai Poriyal | Cluster Beans Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups chopped kothavarangai (cluster beans / guar)
- 2 1/2 tbsp grated coconut (thengai)
- 2 dry red chillies (vara milagai)
- 1 1/2 tsp chana dal (kadalai paruppu / bengal gram dal)
- 1 tsp urad dal (ulutham paruppu / black gram (without skin))
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds)
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (kadagu)
- A few curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing / perungayam)
- 1 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and trim the ends of kothavarangai. Then chop them into around 1 inch pieces. Take the chopped kothavarangai in a pressure cooker along with salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 cup water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium flame and remove from heat. Once the pressure has released by itself, remove the lid of the cooker. Set aside the cooked kothavarangai. Retain the water in which it was cooked to use later in the curry.
- Meanwhile, dry roast coriander seeds in a kadai or pan till they change color and you get a good aroma. Transfer the roasted coriander seeds to a small bowl.
- In the same pan, heat 1/4 tsp oil. Add chana dal, urad dal and dry red chillies. Fry till the dals turn golden brown in color. Transfer the fried ingredients to the bowl.
- When they cool down slightly, take the roasted coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, dry red chillies and grated coconut in a mixer or blender. Add little salt and blend to a fine paste with little water.
- Now in the same pan, heat 1 1/2 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and saute for 2 seconds. Then add cooked kothavarangai along with the water which was retained. Also add the ground coconut paste.
- Stir and let this cook on low heat till all the water has dried up. Then remove from heat. Cluster beans poriyal is now ready to be served.
Notes
- Instead of pressure cooking the cluster beans, you can alternatively boil the beans in a pan with enough water till they turn soft.
Leave a Comment