Curried Green Beans with Potatoes – easy to make in the Instant Pot or stove-top pressure cooker. Enjoy this quick and tasty vegan side-dish with your favorite flatbread – a classic Roti-Sabji meal.
Of course, if you want a few more items on your plate besides just Roti and Sabji…. Sure, why not? Some sides don’t even take any extra work! I’m imagining a bowl of fresh yogurt, sprinkled with a little salt and red chilli powder, some fiery hot Indian-style green mango pickle…. And hey, if you’re willing to do just a bit of extra work, maybe slice up some red onions and cucumbers. Squeeze the juice from a lime/lemon wedge, sprinkle with salt and bit of Chaat Masala, and have yourself a delightful meal!
Mmmm…. I’m hungry now!
Green beans – popular everywhere
Green beans, like in many parts of the world, are quite popular all over India too. In India, they are most commonly served as a savory side dish, a Sabji (Bhaaji, Tarkari, Paliya), to enjoy with flatbreads such as Chapatis, Rotis, Parathas, Naan, etc.
But that’s not all….. Indian folks also add green beans to special occasion rice dishes like Pulao and Biryani. They might mix green beans with other vegetables to make a range of delightful snacks such as vegetable cutlets (patties), Samosas, spring rolls, etc, too. If I have some on hand, I sometimes add a handful of finely sliced green beans to a hearty breakfast dish like Upma (savory dish made from Sooji- also called Ravaa, Semolina, Farina, Cream of Wheat, etc.) as well.
Curried Green Beans – so many variations!
When I hear someone say “Curried Green Beans”, I immediately have questions… “What kind?” is the first one that pops in my mind. With coconut or without? What about onions… potatoes…. tomatoes? What kind of Masala? A dry Sabji or one with a little sauce?
After all, depending on which state in India you identify with, there are probably a couple of traditional curried green bean recipes that you might be most familiar with. Travel to another state, and get ready to sample a completely different version! So many variations…. and all of them are super tasty!
Regional Variations of Curried Green Beans
How come there are so many regional differences? Well, not surprisingly, folks tend use whatever grows in their part of the world. Unlike the Northern states of India, many of the southern states have large swathes of coastal regions where coconut trees flourish. With fresh coconut being abundantly available, these folks tend to use it a lot. Coconut is almost an essential ingredient in all kinds of dishes, sweet or savory. By contrast, North Indians very rarely use coconut in their traditional dishes.
So….. A North-Indian style green beans recipe is quite unlikely to have fresh grated coconut, while a South-Indian dish almost certainly will! A Maharashtrian style recipe will likely have Goda Masala (Go-daa Muss-aa-laa, a special spice mix commonly used in Maharashtrian cuisine) as well as fresh coconut. It might also have a subtle hint of sweetness, from a little bit of Gul (Gool; Gud, Jaggery: unrefined sugar made from sugarcane juice) added in. So many of my non-Maharashtrian friends had never even heard of Goda Masala…. until they met me, of course!
There is no coconut or Goda Masala in the recipe I’ve shared here, so I suppose you could describe it as a “North Indian” style recipe. I do plan to post a few more green bean recipes ….. soon! I enjoy them all so very much!
Green beans … with potatoes, onions and tomatoes
I’m a huge tomato-lover, so pairing green beans with tomatoes seems like a no-brainer to me. I love the tang that the tomatoes bring to the dish, complementing and balancing the slightly earthy taste of the green beans. As for the potatoes and onions…. well, do we really need a reason to add potatoes and onions to pretty much anything?! Not me, anyway!
I think the potatoes and onions impart a particularly delectable flavor to this dish. I have tried making it without these, and didn’t like it nearly as much. The green beans flavor can be a bit overwhelming, and I think the potatoes and onions help to dilute it a bit. The cooked onion also adds a subtle sweetness to the dish, which enhances the overall flavor.
The spices I use are actually pretty basic… no fancy ingredients needed. The simple seasonings allow the flavors of the vegetables to shine.
Green Beans – Low in calories, rich in micronutrients
Green beans are low in overall calories and provide a decent amount of dietary fiber. Since they are also rich in numerous vitamins, and minerals, especially folate, Vitamin A and manganese, I think it’s a really good idea to include this vegetable into your general food routine. And with so many easy ways to prepare this vegetable, it doesn’t ever become boring!
Green beans are also classified as a low FODMAP vegetable, meaning it is not likely to exacerbate chronic digestive issues in folks who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), etc.
Special Diets
This curried green beans recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. If you prefer to avoid onions and/or garlic, it’s OK to omit them. If you do omit the onions, I recommend adding a tiny pinch of sugar, to compensate for the hint of sweetness that the cooked onions typically impart to this dish. Do check out my Recipe Notes for details.
So…. go ahead and pull out those beautiful, crisp green beans from your refrigerator. Do it before they go all black and spotty….ugh! Make yourself some curried green beans! While the pressure cooker does its thing, get ready to make the Chapatis. Knead the dough and set it aside to rest while you finish seasoning and simmering the dish. Heat up your griddle, and gather your family….
Start rolling…. Serve the hot Chapatis, all puffed up, slathered with butter/Ghee…. Watch as they tear off pieces of their Chapatis to scoop up some Sabji and pop into their mouth.. Their facial expressions will say it all…. Yumm!!
Enjoy!
Curried Green Beans with Potatoes – Easy to make
Equipment
- pressure cooker any kind – electric (like Instant Pot,) or stove-top type ff not available, see Recipe Notes for cooking without pressure cooker note that this method will take longer
- Medium frying pan (10 in / 25 cm) or wok I use anon-stick coated or stainless steel pan. I do NOT recommend using an un-coated Aluminum pan or a carbon-steel wok(un-coated), as they will react with the acidic tomatoes.
Ingredients
To cook in the Pressure-cooker
- 2 cups Fresh Green Beans – trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) long pieces (a little longer is OK too) from about 1/4 lb / 125g fresh beans; if fresh is not available, frozen beans OK too, Note: frozen beans are already partially cooked, so you will need to modify cooking times. See Recipe Notes for details.; I do NOT recommend using canned green beans for making this Sabji – the beans will get too mushy and unappealing.
- 1 cup Potatoes – peeled and diced medium Note: Prep just before cooking to prevent darkening
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne) For medium spicy: adjust according to preference
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup water
For the Masala: Saute in a pan on the stove-top
- 1 cup Onions – sliced medium thick (1/8 inch / 2-3 mm) Any variety OK: red, yellow, white; if using large onions, cut the long slices in half, to about 1 1/2 inch (3 cm) long or so; see Recipe Notes if you wish to avoid using onions.
- 1 cup Tomatoes: chopped Any variety OK; about 2 medium large Roma tomatoes
- 1 tsp Fresh garlic (optional) – finely chopped OK to omit if you wish
- 1 tsp Fresh ginger – grated or finely minced Save the edges left over after grating – use that too while simmering the Sabji
- 1 tbsp Oil I prefer to use peanut oil; any other mild flavored edible oil is OK; if you like the somewhat pungent flavor/aroma of mustard oil, that's fine too.
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds use only 1/2 tsp if also using fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds (optional)
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
Garnish
- 1/2 cup Fresh coriander leaves (Cilantro) – trimmed, washed and chopped
Instructions
- Begin by prepping the ingredients that will be cooked in the pressure cooker: the green beans and potatoes.Wash the beans in a colander, scrubbing a little as you rinse them. Then trim them: slice off the stem ends and, if you wish, the pointy, tail-end of the beans. How you cut the beans is your choice – I sometimes cut them into 1/4 inch pieces, sometimes a bit longer. Sometimes, I slice them on a diagonal, which looks really pretty, but takes much longer to cut, since each bean needs to be cut individually (see the pics for the difference)Transfer the sliced beans to a pressure cooker insert container – a stainless steel container that fits inside the pressure cooker pot and can be taken out easily! I find the Indian-style tongs, called Pakkad in Hindi, the best tool for doing this. (See the picture of Pakkad in a later step)Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water; stir to distribute the salt evenly.
- Diagonal-cut green beans – also called "French-cut". Looks pretty, but does take longer.
- Wash, peel and dice the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes evenly on top of the green beans.
- Sprinkle the turmeric, chilli powder evenly over the top. Do not stir. Place the prepared container on the rack; close the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 3-4 min. Release pressure naturally.Note: Do not overcook, or the beans will become mushy and unappealing!
Prep the Masala Ingredients
- Peel and slice the onions lengthwise (from root end to stem end). Don't slice them too thin, otherwise they will disintegrate while cooking. Slightly thicker slices hold their structure better and add visual appeal to the finished dish. Note: If using large onions, cut the slices in half or thirds, to about 1 – 1 1/2 inches (2-3 cm) long
- Wash and chop the tomatoes
- Peel the garlic (if using) and chop finely.
- Peel the ginger and chop finely, or grate with a fine shredder. Save the small chunky piece that remains after shredding (to add in while simmering the cooked beans and potatoes)
Make the Masala and simmer with cooked beans and potatoes
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan (10 inch/25 cm) or wok on medium heat for about a minute. Add cumin seeds, fennel seed (if using), ginger and garlic (if using); stir while they sizzle and brown lightly, for about 30 seconds. Then add the sliced onions and stir.
- Saute until the onions just start turning brown.
- Add the tomatoes and stir.
- By this time, the pressure should be released naturally from the pressure cooker. If pressure is not released fully in about 10-12 minutes after turning it off , carefully force-release the remaining pressure.Caution: Be sure to remove your fingers/hands from the path of the hot steam that is released during forced release of pressure!
- Open the lid, use a "Pakkad" (tongs) to remove the insert-container from the pressure cooker.
- Gently transfer the cooked vegetables (including any liquid juices) to the pan with the Masala.
- Stir gently and simmer for 5-7 min on low heat to blend flavors, stirring a few times along the way.
- Meanwhile, wash and chop the fresh coriander leaves
- Divide in half. Stir half of the coriander leaves into the Sabji, and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the rest of the fresh coriander on top of the dish.
- Serve with hot Chapati, Roti, flaky Paratha, Naan, etc. Put out some yogurt, spicy pickles, etc., to accompany this simple, but very tasty and nutritious meal.
- Enjoy!
Notes
No pressure cooker available?
No worries! You can cook green beans and potatoes without a pressure cooker, by any one of the following methods.- Steamer:
- Prepare the steamer: add about 2 cups water to the steamer pot. Place the rack or steamer basket: the water level should be a little below the rack / basket. Cover and start heating until the water begins to boil.
- Remove the lid and carefully place the container with the beans, potatoes and seasonings on the rack/basket.
- To prevent getting steam burns while placing the container inside the hot steamer pot:
- Use Indian style tongs (Pakkad), or
- Wrap your hands with a kitchen towel
- To prevent getting steam burns while placing the container inside the hot steamer pot:
- Microwave:
- Place the green beans and potatoes, along with the seasonings in a microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl and cook as follows:
- 2-3 min on Hi
- 5-7 min on low-medium (30-40% power)
- Place the green beans and potatoes, along with the seasonings in a microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl and cook as follows:
- In a saucepan/frying pan on the stove-top :
- Place the green beans and potatoes, along with the seasonings in a shallow, heavy bottom saucepan or frying pan
- Add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook as follows:
- 3-4 min on Hi heat
- 8-10 min on low-medium heat
- check once or twice to see if the water has dried out
- If so, add 1/4 cup hot water and continue to cook until veggies are cooked but still firm : don’t overcook till mushy soft!
- check once or twice to see if the water has dried out
Sabji with frozen green beans:
If you don’t have fresh green beans, you can use the frozen beans too. Since these are typically blanched before freezing, they cook much faster than fresh beans. SO: When using frozen beans, do not cook them in the pressure cooker with the potatoes! Simply thaw them until the ice crystals have melted and the beans have become slightly warm (not hot!)- Cook the potatoes as directed – with water, salt and seasonings.
- Follow the rest of the recipe as directed, adding the thawed green beans along with the cooked potatoes.
To make the Sabji without onions/garlic:
If you prefer to avoid using onions and/or garlic, follow one of the following variations:- You may simply omit both ingredients and proceed according to the recipe- you will need to adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Make the Tadka with oil, cumin seeds and ginger, then add the tomatoes, cooked green beans and potatoes and simmer for 5-7 min
- Try an interesting substitute: tender Baby Bok Choy leaf-stalks
- Cut off the leafy green tops – save these for another use
- Slice the tender white (or very pale green), fleshy leaf-stalks lengthwise – they will resemble sliced onions and hold their shape/structure quite well upon gentle sauteing for 2-3 min. Do not overcook!
Storing Leftovers:
Transfer leftovers to a microwave-safe glass/ceramic container with a well-fitting lid. I do not recommend using a plastic container for storing leftovers.- Refrigerator
- Consume within 2-3 days.
- To reheat, microwave, (covered) on medium-hi for 2-3 min, until steaming hot.
- Stir gently once or twice along the way, to distribute heat evenly.
- To reheat, microwave, (covered) on medium-hi for 2-3 min, until steaming hot.
- Consume within 2-3 days.
- Freezer:
- Lasts for 3-4 weeks, possibly longer.
- To reheat, microwave (covered) on low/defrost setting (30% power) for 2-3 min or more, until thawed
- Stir gently, then continue heating on medium-hi until steaming hot.
- Note: Frozen potatoes must be heated thoroughly to produce a good texture and flavor.
looks very simple to make and tasty too with any of the options. Also, very informative description as usual 👍
It is simple and tasty… comfort food! I make it quite often.
We’ve been using this blog with our kids and they love helping us prepare our meals. This was a fun and quick way for my kids to want to eat the fruits of their labor so to speak. They particularly liked reading out the directions and handing out instructions on what to do next.
My daughters review specifically is: “Its yum-spice”.
I love your daughter’s response – Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it.