Beans Mezhukkupuratti (Kerala Style Beans Stir Fry) is a side dish made with French beans and cooked without grated coconut. Also known as "Payar Mezhukkupuratti", it gets a glossy finish from coconut oil. It’s an easy, light side dish that goes well with rice.
In Malayali homes, it’s a regular lunch item and also served in Kerala sadya. "Mezhukkupuratti" means coated in oil. You may also hear names like olathiyathu depending on the region. But the preparation stays the same.
No fancy steps. Just sliced beans, a few basics, and gentle sautéing. Make it once at home, and it might just become your go-to. Dive in for tips, smart swaps, and perfect pairings.
Jump to:
- What is Beans Mezhukkupuratti?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Variations to Try
- How To Make Beans Mezhukkupuratti? (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Tips And Tricks
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- More Kerala Style Thoran / Mezhukkupuratti Recipes to Try
- Beans Mezhukkupuratti (Kerala Style Beans Stir Fry)
What is Beans Mezhukkupuratti?
Beans Mezhukkupuratti is a Kerala stir fry made with French beans and no grated coconut. It starts with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and red chilli flakes tempered in coconut oil. Onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and salt are added and sautéed until the beans turn tender and flavorful.
The dish has a soft yellow tint from turmeric. Green beans look vibrant with a glossy coat from coconut oil. Mustard seeds and red chilli flakes are scattered across, giving it a simple yet striking look.
The aroma begins with mustard and curry leaves sizzling in coconut oil. As it cooks, the smell of fresh beans gently lifts, mixing with the warm oil and spices.
Taste starts with the mild sweetness of beans, followed by soft heat from the chillies. Coconut oil brings the flavors together just enough to feel balanced and homely.
This stir fry follows the typical mezhukkupuratti style. It does not use grated coconut, though some homes add thin coconut slices (thenga kothu) for extra bite, just like in Pavakka Mezhukkupuratti, a bitter gourd stir fry where thenga kothu is used the same way.
The beans are coated lightly in coconut oil and sautéed slowly with basic spices. While longer cuts are commonly used, smaller cuts work just as well depending on your preference. The texture stays soft and glossy.
Unlike thoran, this version stays simpler and lightly roasted. Thoran includes grated coconut and often feels sweeter and more crumbly, with finer vegetable cuts.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
We love this recipe for how simple and homely it is. It uses everyday ingredients and slow cooking in coconut oil. No grinding or complicated steps, just clean flavors that feel close to home.
This is one of those classic Kerala lunch sides that everyone loves. It’s light on the stomach, protein-rich, and easy to digest. Kids, elders, and even picky eaters enjoy it. It fits well into Kerala meals and sadya, adding color, softness, and comfort to the plate.
Recipe Ingredients
1. Beans
Use fresh green beans or French beans for this stir fry. Slice them thin and round, or go for longer cuts if you prefer a traditional look. If you have long beans instead, check out our Achinga Payar Mezhukkupuratti for a similar recipe using that variety.
2. Other Ingredients
You’ll need onions (shallots give the best flavor), mustard seeds, red chilli flakes, curry leaves, coconut oil, green chilli, garlic, ginger, and turmeric powder.
All exact quantities and preparation steps are listed in the recipe card below. If you’re looking for a version that includes grated coconut, check out our Beans Thoran, made with the same base and a different finish.
Variations to Try
- Make it lighter
Skip ginger and garlic to keep the flavors clean. You can also avoid onions. This version is often made when pairing with kanji or during sick days.
- Extra crunch
Add thin coconut slices (thenga kothu) for texture. It blends well with the oil-based stir fry without changing the flavor.
- Add extra flavor
To boost taste, you can add a pinch of cumin while sautéing. For extra spice, use chilli powder or pepper powder based on your preference. All of these are optional, but they do make a noticeable difference in flavor and heat.
- Make beans and carrot combo
Combine finely chopped beans and grated carrot in equal parts for a colorful, slightly sweet variation. Cook it just like the regular stir fry.
- Use other vegetables
You can use the same mezhukkupuratti method with vegetables like cauliflower, beetroot, carrot, and cabbage. For firmer vegetables like raw plantain (vazhakka), unripe jackfruit (chakka), potato (urulakizhangu), and ivy gourd (kovakka), chop them small and cook covered until soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Bitter gourd (pavakka) and ladies’ finger (vendakka) also work well.
- Use lentils instead
If you don’t have vegetables, you can still make a dry stir fry with lentils. Try green gram (cherupayar), red gram (vanpayar), horse gram (muthira), or black chickpeas (kadala). It’s soft, filling, and goes well with rice.
- Make it coconut-rich
Mezhukkupuratti can also be made with grated coconut in a style known as thoran. For that version, try a coconut-rich dish like Cabbage Thoran.
How To Make Beans Mezhukkupuratti? (Step-by-Step Guide)
STEP 1: Clean the beans. Trim off the string, a hard fibrous strand running the length of the pod. Slice beans into ½ inch long slices. Thinly slice the onion. Heat oil in a skillet. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves and dried red chilli.
STEP 2: Add chopped beans, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and stir it well until well combined. Cover and cook. Don't add water. It naturally has water in it, which releases while it gets cooked.
STEP 3: Cook on medium heat. Stir it every 3-4 minutes. Otherwise, it can get burnt. Cook until the beans are done and soft. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes.
STEP 4: Add salt if needed. Add 2-3 teaspoons of oil, and saute it on medium-high flame for around 5 minutes until it gets roasted (or fried) well. This step is really important for a better taste.
If you want to try a different stir fry with the same comfort and ease, check out our Cherupayar Thoran.
Tips And Tricks
- Cut the beans into even-sized pieces to help them cook quickly and stay tender.
- You can cover the pan while cooking, but don’t keep it closed for too long or the beans will turn soggy.
- Stir often so the beans and other ingredients cook evenly without sticking or burning.
- Add water only if the pan feels too dry. Beans usually release enough moisture, so sprinkle just one spoonful at a time.
Serving Suggestions
Kerala-style beans stir fry (Payar Mezhukkupuratti) is typically served as a side dish with steamed rice and curries such as sambar, moru curry, parippu, or other Kerala curries. It adds more depth to the rice and curry combination.
It also pairs beautifully with kanji or curd rice and is often included in a traditional Kerala sadya, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf during Onam, Vishu, weddings, and special occasions.
In a sadya, this stir fry sits alongside Avial (vegetables with coconut curry), Kichadi (yogurt and coconut curry), Pachadi (sweet-sour yogurt curry), Olan, Kalan, Pappadam, Achar, and many other dishes.
You can read more about the full spread in our Kerala Sadya – God’s Own Feast Guide.
Storage Instructions
Beans Mezhukkupuratti stays fresh for 2 to 3 days when stored in a clean, dry, airtight container in the fridge. Let it cool completely before storing to avoid moisture buildup.
To reheat, warm it gently in a pan. You can add a small spoon of coconut oil while reheating to bring back its original flavor and gloss. Microwaving is possible, but pan-heating gives a better finish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, but let them sit at room temperature before cooking. If used straight from the freezer, they release too much water and won’t give that roasted mezhukkupuratti texture.
Use green chilli, crushed red chilli flakes, pepper powder, or a small amount of chilli powder. You can mix and match depending on how much heat you prefer.
More Kerala Style Thoran / Mezhukkupuratti Recipes to Try
I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried this! Please leave a ⭐️ rating and a comment below. Don’t forget to share your photos on Instagram and tag @a_little_bit_of_spice.
Beans Mezhukkupuratti (Kerala Style Beans Stir Fry)
Ingredients
- 500 gram Green beans (French Beans)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 number dried red chilli
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 number onion (medium)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (crushed)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon chilli powder
- salt
Instructions
- Clean the beans. Trim off the string, a hard fibrous strand running the length of the pod. Slice beans into ½ inch long slices. Thinly slice onion. Heat oil in a skillet. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves and dried red chilli.
- Add chopped beans, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Add 2 teaspoon oil and stir it well until well combined. Cover and cook. Don't add water. It naturally has water in it, which releases while it gets cooked.
- Cook in medium heat. Stir it every 3-4 minutes. Otherwise, it can get burnt. Cook until until beans is done and soft. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes.
- Add salt if needed. Add 2-3 teaspoon oil, and sauté it on medium high flame for around 5 minutes until it gets roasted (or fried) well. This step is really important for a better taste.
Notes
- Cut the beans into even-sized pieces to help them cook quickly and stay tender.
- You can cover the pan while cooking, but don’t keep it closed for too long or the beans will turn soggy.
- Stir often so the beans and other ingredients cook evenly without sticking or burning.
- Add water only if the pan feels too dry. Beans usually release enough moisture, so sprinkle just one spoonful at a time.
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