French Beans Foogath / Goan Style French Beans Sabzi - An Everyday Vegetarian Sabzi or Veg option from the Goan Cuisine.
Beans Foogath / How to make French Beans Foogath
I am still in the shifting phase and work seems endless. Thankfully, I had worked on this post last month as soon as I was assigned my partner for the Recipe Swap Challenge as the kitchen would not be fully functional until few more days. I hate missing out on deadlines and these challenges really bring out the best in us, so decided to do a little planning and make the most of the opportunity.
The Recipe Swap Challenge idea was conceptualized by Jolly Makkar. The idea is that a group of bloggers work together in pairs and cook a recipe from each other’s blog. Let’s face it, every time we love each others work and bookmark certain recipes, we often forget trying them out due to various reasons. This theme, ensures we try and appreciate each others work and also give each other some credit too via our blog.
So, for the Recipe Swap challenge, I was partnered with Archana Gunjikar Potdar who blogs at The Mad Scientists Kitchen. I had been paired with her last month in another group too for a different challenge and we had loads of fun. She has a lovely variety of Goan cuisine on her blog that I was dying to try and this recipe was one of the things I had book marked way back. With time constraints, I did manage to do this blog post and also thoroughly enjoyed that steaming bowl of Beans Foogath with garam garam ghee phulkas for lunch.
Beans Foogath may look very similar to the Beans Poriyal of South India but is slightly different in terms of flavor. Goa also being a coastal region has many similarities to South India in terms of spices and the coconut used for gravies. The preparation techniques might be somewhat different and so will be the choice of certain accompaniments. Goans although love their pao over rotis but love their steamed rice just like South Indians do. So, being similar to poriyal, the foogath requires a certain skill (given in detail in the recipe below) that ensures the beans remain slightly green and crunchy while eating. Having said that, the dish doesn’t require much oil for cooking which makes it an apt choice for everyday meals.
Couple of months ago, I had shared a blog post on Chana Ros or Chanya Ros a dried white peas sabzi with coconut gravy that belonged to the Goan cuisine, also has a lot of details about the Goan cuisine, culture, its influences etc. Do check out the recipe and the blog post for the complete details.
The Beans Foogath was extremely filling and had the perfect blend of coconut and onions that complemented the crunchy French beans. Usually eaten along with a dal, varan or amti on the side along with some steamed rice and chapatis, I only managed to serve this with some ghee phulkas and curd on the side.
Glad this concept of Recipe Swap could bring out yet another dish with French beans to try at home, which we absolutely relished eating.
Read the recipe and try a batch at home soon.
Recipe for Beans Foogath
Prep Time – 15 mins
Cook Time – 20 mins
Serves 2 persons
Ingredients
- 250 gms French Beans
- 2 medium sized Onions finely chopped
- 3 to 4 nos green chillies finely chopped
- 2 tsps of coconut oil
- ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds
- 2 to 3 nos. Whole red chillies broken
- 4 tblsps freshly grated coconut
- A pinch of Hing or Asafoetida
- A sprig of curry leaves
- Water to cook the beans as required
- Salt as per taste
Method
- Wash, pat dry, remove the bean strings and finely chop the French beans and keep aside.
- Heat a kadhai, add oil followed by mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the curry leaves, whole red chillies and the hing.
- Add the finely chopped onions and saute well until they are translucent.
- Now add the finely chopped French beans.
- Mix well and splash some water. Cover the pan with a lid on top and pour few tblsps of water over it to ensure there is steam cooking.
- Ensure the flame is at the lowest while cooking this sabzi so that the French beans don’t char at the bottom and the steam ensures even cooking.
- Once you see the water on the lid reducing, add some more and keep stirring the French beans in between to ensure there is enough moisture for cooking.
- After about 15 odd minutes the beans would be cooked. It shouldn’t be mushy and should be crunchy - with a bite.
- Now add the freshly grated coconut, mix well one last time and switch off the flame.
- Serve piping hot with dal of our choice with any flatbreads like rotis or even pao, which is a Goan speciality.
Recipe Notes -
- Now I have calculated 250 gms for 2 people as we tend to eat a big portion of veggies at home than the carbs.
- I have tried my best to cook this with minimal oil and hence used the splashing of water during intervals to ensure they cook as well as don't burn at the bottom.
- You can, however, add few more tsps of coconut oil and make the dish.
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/798192733932629249/
Vidya Narayan
The Beans Foogath sounds absolutely delicious ! Thanks for sharing ?
My pleasure and it was delicious. Thanks Smitha
Any time comfort curry!!
I agree. Thanks so much
This is so tempting, healthy and easy.
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Thanks and I agree about the health, taste and the ease of cooking part. Shall have a look at the page for sure. Thanks again for the heads up.
This looks so delicious! Actually I never thought of adding coconut, I should try this!
Goans are coconut lovers just like South Indians. Their curries have fresh and dry coconut both and are very flavourful with the fresh spices. Do try their cuisine. I am in the process of exploring more myself. Thank you so much.
Oh great Idea to explore something new! I would love to know about it! Thnks for the encouragement!
My pleasure dear.
Such a flavourful and unique recipe using beans. Will try this recipe soon!
Regional recipes have that magic. Similar ingredients but difference in taste, spices etc which really elevate the dish. Thank you Debanita and if you do try, would love to hear your feedback.
So comfort curry. Love the simplicity of it. Looks tempting. Love this curry with sambhar and rice..
We loved it Ruchi. Simple and everyday food. Thanks dear.
I love these sort of simple and healthy Sabzi. How delicious and inviting this french beans foogath looks. Can have this dish with anything without any fuss.
Me too Priya, Simple fuss free cooking is actually easy to plan. Loved this sabzi. Thanks a ton.
There was a time I hated beans but since my cook started making this bhaji I enjoy it. Thanks for choosing this simple yet flavourful dish from the Goan Cuisine. And thanks for waiting patiently for me to catch up and comment/post mine.
We loved this dish and it got over during lunch with phulkas and curd. Since we are shifting, I had to make this and shoot last month itself when I had some time in hand. Although next time I will try and keep it slightly more green like yours. It was my pleasure, I finally got to try Goan cuisine from your blog which I had bookmarked. Hopefully next time we are paired, I have few others bookmarked too to try.
Love this. Such a delicious and comfort stir fry to serve with sambhar rice !
Absolutely true Priya!
The French beans stir fry is a loved curry at my place Vidya and your version with coconut oil and grated coconut sounds so flavorful !
Thanks dear. Coconut oil and fresh coconut are both my weakness so when I saw this on Archana's blog, I knew I had to do this recipe.
I have a slightly different version of beans foogath ...but whatever version it is such a beautiful recipe always. I am planning to try your version next.
Apologies for the delay in responding. glad to know there is another version of this recipe, which I am already loving. I am planning to check out your version soon on the blog. Cheers and thank you for stopping by.
The Beans Foogath sounds absolutely new for me. I have never tasted Goan cuisine and never tried too, but your dish Vidya looks really tempting and delicious especially the grated coconut eye catching ingredient. Thanks for mentioning my name in your post partner ???
My pleasure partner and much love for all the support during my absence. Do try this and I am sure you will love it too. Goan cuisine has coconut based gravies that have garam masalas too in them so you would love it, I am sure.
Just like the poriyal but different in its own way. I would love to have some of this vibrant stir-fry with my curd rice.
I have made this couple of times now and had this with different combinations including curd rice and it does taste amazing. Simple flavours yet delicious. Thank you Aruna.
Beans foogath looks delicious. Grated coconut definitely made it more yummy. Lovely share.
Thanks so much. I agree.
This is truly a comfort food. Thanks for sharing the recipe Vidya!
My pleasure Paarul and I agree with you. We loved it too.
French Beans Foogath looks so yummy and tempting, somehow I never made much of Goan cuisine, think its time to explore
thank you dear
French Bean Foogath looks so tempting and delicious. I wonder why I have not done much Goan Style cooking. Time to explore I think
Renu, there are many good vegetarian Goan recipes that I plan to make too and would recommend the same to you as well. Always great to explore other regional cuisines. Thank you so much dear.
Vidya congratulations to you and Jolly for starting this recipe swap and the A-Z challenge. Both very exciting challenges. French Beans Foogath looks so delicious. I could have a whole bowlful of this healthy sabji on its own.
Thank you so much and glad you guys are participating with so much enthusiasm .. Some new dishes and recipes, some thinking and challenging times in kitchen is what we are looking forward when it comes to challenges like these right? I feel all challenges bring out the best in us and I am glad to be a part of our shhh group too that way where I get to discover Regional food. Thank you so much once again and yes, Foogath is something you can have for your weekly meals as its totally fuss free.
Vidya, yes it challenges us to participate in these groups. I would have got into a comfort zone if it were not for the groups.
Absolutely true and I share your views.
One of the most juicy bean recipes I have ever seen!Total wow!
thank you dear.
A healthy and delicious dish you have picked up for share vidya. Would love to try this comfort dish !!
Thank you so much Sasmita!
An awesome share Vidya. Love those shots - you are heading the right way into presenting food. Hope you are settled now in your new home - change of place totally skews the routine. But, wanted to tell you are doing great. Hugs!
Thank you my dear Jyoti for all the lovely words of encouragement. Settling down and quite a bit of unpacking still left but routine life has taken over and trying to fit in everything possible. Hugs back dear and see you soon once things are settled at your end.
Thank you for sharing! Looks sooooo good!
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My pleasure and will surely check your site shortly. Thanks.