Beans poriyal is a staple in my house! These South Indian stir fry green beans take me back to my childhood. If you’ve never had green beans poriyal, then you’re in for a treat. They’re juicy, delicious, savory, and a great way to eat beans (that’s not boring).
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
This recipe is both vegan and gluten-free, making it great for all eaters. It comes together in just 30 minutes and a great way to get your kids to eat some greens. It’s crunchy, just a bit spicy, and tastes perfect with rice!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this stir fry green beans recipe, you’ll need a pound of green beans, cooking oil, mustard seeds, split lentils, and unsweetened desiccated coconut. Then, you’ll need the same lentils, dried Indian red chilis (or red pepper flakes), and salt for the spice mix.
Variations and Substitutions
- Green beans. Use fresh green beans for the best texture and flavor, but in a pinch you can also use frozen green beans.
- Desiccated coconut. You can also use unsweetened, shredded coconut or grated coconut.
- Dried red chili. Use red chilli flakes for a similar spicy kick, and skip the sautéing step. I find using red pepper flakes in the sauté step makes it too spicy.
- Mustard seeds. Optional ingredient, you can skip this if you don’t have it.
Lentil Substitutions
There are four options for making the dry spice mixture (and check out lentil chart below for visual differences – the traditional combo are the two on the bottom right!)
- Traditional. The way my mom makes it (aka the recipe, as written) uses two types of lentils – urad dal and chana dal. If you have both of those on hand, you’re in for a treat.
- Best single lentil. Your best bet to optimize use of lentils is by using toor dal. It’s a great multi-purpose lentil for most Indian cooking, and you can find this on Amazon.
- Easiest lentil to find. If you’re in a rush, try finding red lentils (aka masoor dal) at your local grocery store. Those work in a pinch as well.
- No lentil option. Okay, you’re all out of luck, and just want to use an alternative? Crush up some peanuts. Unsalted works best in this case.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to stock a simple but effective Indian Pantry, don’t forget to check out my detailed guide on the key Indian spices and ingredients you must get, and some nice-to-haves.
📖 How to make beans poriyal recipe
Step 1:
Start by trimming the ends of a pound of green beans, and chop them into small, 1-2″ pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes to soften them. You want them to have a crisp-tender texture, and not mushy.
Step 2:
Add a tablespoon each of urad dal and chana dal, 2-3 red chilis, and a teaspoon of salt to a spice grinder and dry grind into a fine powder.
Step 3:
Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large skillet followed by a teaspoon of mustard seeds and a tablespoon of urad dal.
Step 4:
Drain the green beans and add to a skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then, add the dry spice mixture and give it a good mix. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
Step 5:
Finally, turn the heat to low, and add your desiccated coconut and give it all a good mix to combine and turn off the heat. Serve hot!
Shruthi’s Top Tip
Place the beans in an ice bath after boiling them to stop the cooking process. This helps retain their bright green color and crisp-tender texture.
- Toast the coconut. When adding shredded or desiccated coconut, toast it lightly in the pan on low heat to enhance its flavor. Be cautious not to burn it.
- Use a food processor. If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can use a food processor to grind the spices. Pulse in short bursts for a consistent grind. You can also use a mortar and pestle, or buy pre-ground spices.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
I suggest substituting these lentils with toor dal, a multi-purpose split yellow lentil. I highly recommend having this on hand if you’re into Indian cooking. You can also use masoor dal, traditional red lentils that you can find at most grocery stores, or simply crush up some peanuts for both the spice mixture and the sautéing.
Indian red chilis are dried chilis, so they have a rich depth of flavor (in addition to adding some spice value). If you don’t have these on hand, I suggest using red pepper flakes in the spice mix, and skipping it in the sautéing step.
Absolutely! Poriyal is traditionally served as a side to any lunch meal (or thali) in South India. You can make this with a number of veggies – carrots, beans, okra, cabbage, beets, the list is endless! Make a batch of the spice mix and get going!
🍴 How to serve stir fry green beans
I highly recommend serving these as part of a full Indian meal – think, homemade naan, jeera rice, dal tadka, sambar, and these green beans. You’re in for a treat!
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
You can store these stir fry green beans in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent drying out.
🍴 More delicious Indian recipes
If you like this recipe, don’t forget to try out my other Indian curries:
Bombay Potatoes
Vegetable Korma (Veg Kurma)
Authentic Chana Masala
Baingan Bharta
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Beans Poriyal (Indian Stir Fry Green Beans)
Equipment
- Spice Grinder optional
Ingredients
For the spice mix:
- ½ tablespoon urad dal
- ½ tablespoon chana dal
- 3 dried Indian red chilies
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the stir-fry:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon urad dal
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1–2 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for about 5 minutes until softened but still with some bite. Drain and set aside.
- While the beans cook, add the ½ tablespoon urad dal, ½ tablespoon chana dal, dried red chilies, and 1 teaspoon salt to a spice grinder. Grind into a fine powder. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to sputter and pop (about 30 seconds), add the 1 tablespoon urad dal and cook until the dal turns golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the drained green beans and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the ground spice mix and stir well to coat. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust salt.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the desiccated coconut and toss to combine. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Notes
- Lentil substitutions: toor dal or masoor dal (red lentils) can replace the urad and chana dal in both the spice mix and the tempering. Crushed peanuts also work for both. Flavor shifts slightly but still good.
- Dried Indian red chilies have a rich, complex heat — not just spicy. If unavailable, use 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes in the spice mix only (not in the sauté — it gets too hot).
- The coconut goes in last and off high heat. It burns quickly and is there for texture and sweetness, not for cooking.
- Gluten Free added to diet tags — all ingredients are naturally GF.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really tasty and easy as long as you have Urad and Chana dal available