Chinese long beans (Chawli) curry is traditional Gujarati dish that is very simple and requires very minimal ingredients. The spices used in this recipe are very basic and found in every Indian household pantry. If you need a quick, healthy curry to serve with roti or dal rice, then I highly recommend this dish. This is perfect for weeknight dinner because you can make this in under 20 minutes on stove or instant pot.
Back in the day in India people did not have lots of options but to eat seasonal local produce, because stores did not carry all types of vegetables throughout the year. There were not that many big grocery stores, mostly people went to their local farmers market on daily basis to get groceries. During my summer vacations, I use to go to local produce market in the evenings with my grandfather. Picking out vegetables needs a lot of knowledge and skill, trust me when I say this. I used to be amazed how my grandfather was so knowledgeable and was able to pick out the best produce within seconds. At age 8, my grandfather taught me how to pick out the best long beans. When you are picking long beans, the key is you need them small and short. In my childhood, I looked forward going to the market and learning about new vegetable. I still remember each day going to the market and learning to pick out new vegetables. Chinese long beans are summer vegetable but now found throughout the year in grocery stores. Compared to other beans, Chinese long beans are chewy, very hearty and can withstand intense spices and chilies.
This Chinese long bean curry is quick, easy, and delicious. It pairs amazingly well with roti or dal rice. I highly recommend you making this curry for your family! I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
Serves 3
[Per serving Calories 99, Fat 2g, Carbs 14g, Fiber 7g, Protein 6g]
Ingredients
2 cups of Chinese long beans, chopped
1 medium size potato, cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
2-3 red dried chilies
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5 tbsp of water
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander-cumin powder
½ tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Method
Wash Chinese long beans and trim both ends. Hold all the long beans together and chop them into small pieces, approx. ¼ inch long or smaller. Peel and dice the potatoes into ¾ inch cubes.
Instant pot – Turn on normal sauté mode on the instant pot and add olive oil. Once hot, add mustard and cumin seeds. When it begins to crackle, add asafoetida, red dried chilies, and minced garlic. Sauté for few seconds. Add chopped Chinese long beans, diced potatoes, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add water and close the instant pot. Change to pressure cook mode, with high pressure. Set the timer for 2 minutes. Make sure the valve sealed. When timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for only 5 minutes, and then manually release the rest of the pressure. Open the lid and set to sauté mode again. If the vegetables are cooked thoroughly, add all the spices to the vegetables. Mixed thoroughly and sauté until excess liquid evaporates. Serve hot with roti or dal rice.
Stove top – Heat oil in medium size pan. Once hot, add mustard and cumin seeds. Once it starts to crackle, add asafoetida, red dried chilies, and minced garlic. Sauté for few seconds. Add chopped Chinese long beans, diced potatoes, and salt. Mix thoroughly and cook until vegetables are tender with the lid closed. This whole process will take approximately 10-15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of water if vegetables are sticking at the bottom. Keep stirring so the vegetables don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the vegetables are tender, add all the spices to the vegetables. Mix thoroughly and cook until excess liquid evaporates. Serve hot with roti or dal rice.
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