“Dal” is the collective Hindi term for lentils, beans, pulses or legumes. In India, the sheer variety & types of dals available is fantastic. Dals are eaten throughout the sub-continent and are a large part of the Indian diet. In a largely vegetarian country, they are often the primary source of protein. They are also highly economical & budget friendly – one cup of uncooked dal can easily feed up to 4-6 people when cooked.
Chana dal (aka split yellow Bengal gram dal) is healthy, nutritious & very tasty. Chana dal is also a relative of the more familiar chickpea and is one of the most popular dals in India.
This basic recipe can be used for virtually any vegetable or combination of vegetables such as potatoes, peas, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, okra…
GREEN BEANS & CHANA DAL STIR-FRY (Indian Style Green Beans)
Ingredients:
2 to 2½ cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into ¼” pieces
3 tbsp split yellow peas (split chana dal), lightly roasted
½ cup grated coconut (frozen is fine)
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tbsp split white lentils (split urad dal)
3-4 dried red chilies, to taste
6-8 fresh curry leaves
pinch of asafetida (hing)
¼ tsp turmeric (haldi)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
freshly grated coconut for garnish
METHOD:
Using a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder, grind the chana dal together with the coconut & cumin seeds. Grind into a fine powder. Set aside until needed.
In a deep skillet or wok on medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, carefully add the black mustard seeds. When the splattering stops, reduce the heat to medium low and add the split urad dal along with the dried red chilies, curry leaves, asafetida and turmeric. Stir and let cook for another minute or so before adding the green beans. Season with salt & pepper as needed. Stir well to coat the green beans in all of the spices. Then add about ¼ cup or so of water, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Then add the ground chana dal/coconut mixture and mix well. Let cook for another 4-5 minutes and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and freshly grated coconut. Serve with fresh chapatis and fragrant Basmati rice.
VARIATIONS:
You could make a similar dish using besan (Bengal gram four or chickpea flour) instead of ground chana dal. Just add about 2 tbsp of roasted besan before adding in the green beans. Let the besan fry in the oil for a few minutes before adding in the beans.
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