Kerala Beans Thoran With Detailed Photos And Video.

Beans thoran is a classic South Indian side dish made with French Beans. It is packed with the flavors of coconut and curry leaves. Use of green chilies, cumin seeds and turmeric make this dish really flavorsome. Try this healthy and delicious Kerala gluten-free and vegan side dish with steamed rice and rasam.

How To Choose French Beans?

While choosing French beans, look at the fresh young beans with no black spots or blemishes. Young green beans are the tastiest and healthiest than the matured beans. I think, in Kerala, we are getting matured French beans. It will be harder than the younger ones, that is why we are removing its stings from both sides while cooking.

Other Names Of French Beans

Green beans
Sting beans
Snap beans

How To Store French beans?

French beans or green beans taste best when stored properly. On the same day of purchase or harvesting, refrigerate it. Before refrigeration, never forget to wash the beans in fresh water. Further drain excess water and pat dry using a cotton cloth. Then store in plastic bags. Always store the vegetables only in the vegetable tray of your refrigerator.

Why Should We Include The Green Beans In Our Daily Menu?

French beans are a low calorie vegetable, but it includes several vitamins and minerals we need for our health. It also contains soluble fibers that help to reduce your bad cholesterol (i.e., LDL Cholesterol) in your body. In addition to this, green beans are fiber rich which improves the digestive health and facilitate easy motion. In addition to this, French beans are loaded with flavonoid and vitamins like vitamin A, C, E, B6, K, thiamin, niacin. French beans is also a mineral rich vegetable and it includes minerals like magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and calcium. So overall French beans is really a healthy vegetable.

French beans are good for pregnant women due to the presence of folate. As you know folate good for unborn babies as it reduces the risk of birth defects.

So include it in your daily menu to improve vision, digestive health, immunity, etc. So many good components in French beans, so include French beans on your menu either fresh or cooked.

About Beans Thoran

Beans thoran is yet another simple and classic South Indian dish made with vegetables, coconut and spices. The use of coconut and dashes of coconut oil gives a nice fragrance to the crunchy beans. Even though, the French beans originated in north, south and central America, it is now widely cultivated in our country. In every season, French beans or green beans are available in our market. May be due to this reason, French beans have become a regular vegetable in Kerala houses.

Beans Thoran | Kerala Beans Thoran Recipe | Indian Green Beans Recipes

Kerala Style stir fried green beans

Preparation time:10 minutes | Cooking time: 7 minutes | Total time: 17 minutes

Ingredients

200 gm (1 3/4 cup) finely chopped green beans (French beans)
Salt to taste
Water as needed

To grind

3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
3 to 4 green chilies or to your tolerance
3 to 4 shallots
3 garlic cloves
one generous pinch of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

To temper

2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 dried red chili
1 spring of curry leaves
3 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

How To Make Beans Thoran - Video

Kerala Beans Thoran With Step by Step Photos

Wash and clean French beans in fresh water to remove dust and debris. Trim each ends and chop into small pieces.
Heat a pan and put coconut oil. When the oil turns hot, put mustard seeds. Mustard seeds will start to crackle immediately.
When the crackling stops, put curry leaves, dried red chili and chopped shallots.
Sauté till the shallots turns light brown in color.
Add finely chopped French beans and salt.
Add one or two tablespoons of water. Some people prefer to cook in water. But I think this will make the beans soggy and tasteless. So I always sprinkle one or two tablespoons of water to retain moisture inside the pan. By doing so, the beans will remain crunchy even after the thoran preparation.
Close the pan with a lid and reduce the flame to low. Cook till the beans turn soft but don't make it dry.
Meanwhile, take shallots, green chilies, garlic and cumin seeds in a mixer jar.
Crush the spices using the pulse button of your mixer grinder.
Put coconut and turmeric powder.
Crush again. Never make a fine paste. We need the spices, crushed not pasted.
Within four to five minutes, the beans will turn soft. Open the lid and put the crushed coconut mixture.
Mix well, add salt if needed.
Again close the lid and cook it for the next two to three minutes or till the raw taste of the coconut vanishes.
Then serve with steamed rice.
Enjoy.