Patoli is a traditional Andhra dish and is very tasty and healthy. Today’s recipe is made with french beans and lentils (bengal gram/senaga pappu) and goes well with rice and rotis. I have used french beans in this dish today but you can substitute it with either okra, cluster beans, cabbage or raw banana.
1 cup of chopped french beans (cut into 1″ pieces and blanched in salted water)
1 big onion chopped
2 green chillis slit length wise
10 curry leaves
1/2 mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal (minapappu/black gram)
1 tsp jeera
2 whole dry red chillis
1″ piece ginger
1 cup channa dal (senaga pappu/bengal gram) soaked in water for 2 hours
pinch of turmeric pwd
pinch of asafoetida
salt
Grind the soaked channa dal with ginger, dry red chillis, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and salt to a coarse texture without adding water.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide vessel and add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Now add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
Now add the green chillis and onions and fry till transparent. Add turmeric pwd.
Now add the blanched french beans and fry for 3 minutes.
Now add the ground channa dal and mix well and cover and cook stirring once in a while for 12-15 minutes.
The Patoli should have a dry saute look, like a stir fry.
This goes very well with hot rice and a dash of ghee. Tastes best when eaten hot!
