Romano Beans Curry ~ Traditional South Indian Style
Romano beans are green beans gone broad. If green beans face a concave mirror they would definitely look like romano beans. The same green color, the same length, but instead of cigar rounds, they are shaped like spongebob squarepants style flat.
The romano beans I purchased at neighbourhood’s farmers market yesterday were in very tender stage with thin skin and didn’t need any prior blanching. I just followed the established south-Indian method of pairing the beans with fresh coconut and green chilli seasoning. The beans were cut to half-inch length strips, stirred frequently with very little oil over medium flame, until they were slightly dried out and fragrant. The curry was quick to prepare and the outcome was beautiful to look at, as you can see from the photograph. It also tasted superb with chapatis. The beans gave the dish its crucial texture and the coconut-chilli seasoning gave its distinctive flavor.
Romano Beans (Flat Beans)
Recipe:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
10 curry leaves
¼ teaspoon each- cumin and mustard seeds
1 big red onion or shallot – finely sliced to tiny pieces
30 romano beans – cut to half-inch length pieces
2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut
1 tablespoon finely minced green chilli
½ teaspoon each – turmeric and salt (or to taste)
In a wide skillet, on high flame heat peanut oil until a curry leaf tossed in it sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium. Add and toast curry leaves to pale gold color. Then toss in cumin and mustard seeds. When seeds start to pop, add the onion pieces. Saute until the onion pieces become golden brown. Add the beans. Mix and cover the skillet and cook for few minutes until the beans soften a bit. Then remove the lid and sprinkle the grated coconut, chilli, turmeric and salt. Frequently stirring, saute for couple of minutes until the beans reach the stiff/tenderness you desire. Serve the curry hot with chapatis or rice and dal.
Romano Beans Curry with Chapatis, a Glass of Buttermilk and A Bowl of Black Plums ~ Brunch Today
indira, if there was an award for supersexy rotis, you’d get it. i don’t like to eat those spongebob squarepants, but they look cute.
Comment by bee — August 27, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
What an appealing meal, so beautiful and tasty-looking!
Comment by neroli — August 27, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
i have never seen those.. or perhaps i need to look for those 🙂 the cup you served in looks adorable!
Comment by Rajitha — August 27, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
I have never come across ramona beans, curry looks delicious as always. I can’t get over the cutey-polka-dot bowls…Lovely.
Comment by Madhu — August 27, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
Indira, yr rotis with grooves are ‘groovy’ 😉
Comment by Suganya — August 27, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Looks delicious Indira!
Comment by Latha — August 27, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
Hi Indragaru…
I’m waiting to see a lot more of festive action from you…. More because of the pictures and also gives me a festive feeling… since we are into meditation, we dont follow any rituals… Needless to say, ur pictures will fill up that need_for_festive_feeling space in my heart(kind a confident…:)))
Comment by Priya Dilip — August 27, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
LOL@the spongebob square pants reference! I didn’t know these beans are called Romano beans. That meal looks so satisying Indira!
Comment by Mamatha — August 27, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Wow! the rotis look very adorable. I am fond of these soft rotis! If you could make a curry with bindi and u’re kobbara kaaram that would be divine with a cup of curds! I don’t like beans but this curry is so simple and satisfying! Indira, pls post some recipes with okra paired with u’re kobbara kaaram. Would love it!
Comment by Nirmala — August 27, 2007 @ 10:44 pm
You make the simplest of things look so appealing! 🙂
Comment by TBC — August 28, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Hey Indira, Good Morning! Never tried these beans. Added to my to-try list! Polka dots is always a cool thing..Nice bowls! I have a saree with similar color:)white with colorful polka dots. My mom n father in-law have come from Indira last week. I am busy unpacking my goodies:)! Happy Rakshabhandan!
Regards/Nina
Comment by Nina — August 28, 2007 @ 10:05 am
Indira, this looks delicious. I’m so glad I saw the beetroot curry too… I have beetroots in the fridge and was looking for a recipe 🙂
Comment by mandira — August 28, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Indira are these like chikkudu kayalu, I love your analogy of Sponge Bob.
Comment by Sreelu — August 28, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Hi Indira,
I would like to know the brand of wheat flour or atta that you use for making chapatis/rotis/indian bread. Your rotis always seem fresh and soft.
Would you please let me know how you make them so good?What do you do to retain their softness?
Thanks,
Orshoe.
Comment by orshoe — August 28, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Priya: I’ve planned to celebrate festivals this year. Let’s see how it goes. I will try my best.:)
Nirmala: Oy.:) Kobbari kaaram is no more. Everything got gobbled up by last weekend. But I made another curry with bendi today with poppy seeds.
Nina: Fine morning to you!
Polka dots are pretty, aren’t they? I love all things polka dot, particularly when they are in pale pastel colors.
You lucky gal.:) Enjoy the bounty!
Sreelu: No. These romano beans taste exactly like fresh green beans.
I read your comment about black chickpeas. Glad to know that you tried and liked that recipe, Sreelu.
Hello Orshoe: Currently I am using Sujatha brand atta. I make them fresh for that meal. I think that’s why they photograph well.
My routine is – mix flour, warm water and salt. While I prepare a curry or dal for chapatis, the dough rests usually 30 minutes to one hour. Once the curry/dal is done, prepare, photograph and eat. That’s it. I really don’t have any special tricks for chapati making. Sorry.
Comment by Indira — August 28, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
Thanks Indira. Appreciate your answer.
My mom gave me the same suggestion – mix flour, warm water and salt. Infact at home, my mother uses water at room temperature and her rotis are always soft.
I have used Golden Temple atta earlier and the rotis used to turn up pretty hard even if made them fresh everyday. So i stopped making them at home. I will try Sujatha brand. Thank you very much.
Orshoe.
Comment by Orshoe — August 29, 2007 @ 10:40 am
Looks delicious.
How do the rotis get the lines on them? They look sooo good.
Comment by spice lover — September 5, 2007 @ 8:19 am
Indira,
I have seen two types of Sujatha atta at the Indian store. One is the Sujatha Punjabi atta and the other is Sujatha Chakki Fresh atta. Do you have any idea which one is better or would you please let me know which one you use among the two?
Thanks,
Jasper
Jasper: It’s Sujatha Chakki Fresh Atta. Not bad at all. I haven’t tried Sujatha Punjabi atta, so can’t tell the differences between these two varieties.
I moved on from Sujatha, this month, I am using Annapoorna brand atta for chapatis. This is also good.
– Indira
Oct 18, 07
Comment by jasper — October 17, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
Thanks Indira, Appreciate your reply. I started trying Sujatha Chakki Fresh atta and my chapathis are decent and taste pretty good. Definitely better than all previous trials.
I have not seen Annapoorna atta in the Indian stores here.
Comment by Jasper — October 24, 2007 @ 2:20 pm