BEANS PATOLI

Beans Patoli

Patoli is a dish from the South of India. It is a protein rich food made with different varieties of dals. My Mom used to make this with Drumsticks and it tastes awesome. Now I am trying out patoli with different vegetables. Here I present patoli with green beans which tasted great and further, this can be had with chapathi/roti or steamed rice.
INGREDIENTS

• Green beans                1/4 kg
• Channa dal                   1/2 cup
• Split moong dal             1/2 cup
• Toor dal                         2 tsp(optional)
• Red chilies                     4-5
• Jeera                            1 Tsp
• Curry leaves                     5-6
• Salt                             to taste
• Oil                                1/4 cup

For the tadka

• Chana dal                     1 tsp
• Urad dal                        1 tsp
• Mustard seeds              1/2tsp
• Jeera                            1/2 tsp
• Hing                             a pinch
• Red chilly powder      1 tsp(optional)

PROCEDURE
Soak all the dals, red chilies, 1 Tsp of jeera for 3-4 hours. Cut the beans into small pieces and boil them with salt. When they are half done drain the water and transfer the beans into cold water so that further cooking is stopped and the color of beans is retained.
Now grind the soaked dals, redchilies, jeera along with salt( sufficient for the dals) into a paste. Now heat a pan and add the oil. Once the oil is heated add the chana dal, urad dal, mustard and jeera  and hing. Add the curry leaves also. When the tadka is ready add the dal paste into the tadka. Keep on mixing the paste until a crumbling mixture of dal paste is formed. The flame should be medium. When the whole mixture  crumbles add the beans. At this point add some more oil if necessary. Cook on a slow flame by closing with a lid and stirring occasionally. It take about 15 minutes for the whole patoli to be cooked well. If u want the curry to be on a crispy side add a Tsp of oil and cook on a high flame for two minutes. Check for the salt and add if necessary. Add the chilly powder and mix well. Serve hot with rice or chapathi.
TIPS

• The dish uses more of oil and if you prefer less oil try this. Cook the dal paste in a pressure cooker and cool it. Crumble the mixture and add this mixture to the tadka.
• Cabbage, cauliflower, Cluster beans, drumsticks, banana flower( arati puvvu) etc can also be used.
• It can be had with plain rice or can be a side dish for sambar rice.