Beans Poriyal/Thoran

We all love stir-fried vegetables. I often make stir-fried vegetables at home. But, having the same old stir fry was getting boring. A few years back, my sister came to visit me, and she heard me complaining the same. So, to my amazement, she taught me this bean stir fry recipe that she learned from her in-laws. 

What is Beans Poriyal/Thoran?

Beans poriyal/thoran is a Kerala-style stir fry beans with coconut, garlic, and green chili. A quick and healthy dish that goes well with rice. In Kerala’s central region, it’s also known as “beans upperi.” One of the accompaniments to Kerala Onam Sadya.

Beans thoran is one special occasion thoran variation. Most vegetables can be used to make Thoran. 

To get the true authentic taste of thoran, use coconut oil when making it. If you use another oil, the true flavor will be lost. 

Now I frequently prepare thoran and poriyals as a vegetable side dish to accompany South Indian meals. Thoran can be eaten alone with steamed rice or as a side dish with sambar rice or rasam rice.

Notable Ingredients At A Glance

Beans – Look for french beans that are firm and wrinkle-free, as the bean is the hero ingredient of this dish. 

Green chili – The torian is meant to be a bit spicy. The authentic taste of torian evolves from green chilis. Hence, green chilis are a must. You can reduce the mount but do not skip it.

Red chili dry – You will need one or two red chilis to prepare the tempering.

Curry leaves – Curry leaves impart the authentic south Indian flavor to this dish. 

Urad & Chana dal – Urad and chana dal are used to prepare the tempering. The use of dals in tempering adds extra flavor to the dish. 

Peppercorns – The earthy, hot, and pungent flavor adds to the dish’s flavors. 

Coconut – The addition of coconut makes this dish different from regular stir-fries. The creamy flavor of coconut makes this dish extremely tasty. 

Hing/Asafetida – Hing is a savory seasoning with a flavor similar to onions or leeks but with a more floral undertone and a rather piercing aroma. So, it is a great addition. 

Oil – As I mentioned earlier, for an authentic taste, use coconut oil. However, you can use any other neutral oil as well. 

How To Prepare Beans Poriyal/Thoran?

First, chop the beans into small sizes. Neither too big nor too small. You can check out the picture for reference. 

Take a wok, and heat the oil. Add some peppercorns, red chili, and green chili to the hot oil and let it splutter.

Then, add in the urad dal and chana dal followed by the hing. Make sure to maintain a low flame on the gas.

Add the beans, and salt and mix it all very well. Cover and cook them on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes.

After 6 minutes, remove the cover and add the curry leaves.

When the beans are fully cooked, add the coconut and cook for 3 minutes on low heat.

Heat a tablespoon of oil, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves, and allow them to sputter before pouring it over the cooked beans.

Mix it thoroughly to ensure proper incorporation.

You can now serve your beans Poriyal with rice or roti.

Some Expert Tips For Preparing Beans Poriyal/Thoran

• You can turmeric powder for a nice yellow color.
• Traditionally, coconut oil is used to make thoran, but if you are not used to using coconut oil in your regular cooking, you can substitute any cooking oil.
• You can make thoran out of any type of bean available.