Cluster beans is known as kothavarangai in tamil and is widely used in south Indian cooking in tamil Nadu. We make poriyal, curry, sambar, vathal, paruppu usili with kothavarangai.
This is another simple poriyal which is our family favorite. I love the poriyal amma makes though my mom in law too makes the similar way. So what the difference in mom’s poriyal? She adds moong dal while cooking cluster beans, also another special ingredient which I have mentioned in notes section, read on! 
This is another simple poriyal which is our family favorite. I love the poriyal amma makes though my mom in law too makes the similar way. So what the difference in mom’s poriyal? She adds moong dal while cooking cluster beans, also another special ingredient which I have mentioned in notes section, read on!
kothavarangai poriyal, cluster beans poriyal recipe
Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category:Lunch
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Serves: 3 | Author: Raks anand
Click here for cup measurements
Cluster beans is known as kothavarangai in tamil and is widely used in south Indian cooking in tamil Nadu. We make poriyal, curry, sambar, vathal, paruppu usili with kothavarangai.
Ingredients
Cluster Beans,Chopped – 1 & 1/2 cup
Moong dal/ Paasi paruppu – 2-3 tbsp
Sambar powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
Coconut gratings – 1/4 cup
Onion – 1
Salt – As needed
To Temper:
Mustard – 1 tsp
Urad dal/ ulutham paruppu – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – A sprig
Oil – 1 tsp
Method:
- Remove the head and tail of cluster beans,wash them and chop them finely as shown in the picture.
- Boil the cluster beans in water,along with moong dhal,turmeric,salt,sambhar/red chilli powder.
- Cook till done,moong dal should be just done,not too soft….by that time moong dhal gets cooked,cluster beans too should have got cooked just right.
- Drain the water and keep aside. Heat kadai and temper with the tempering items,followed by onion and fry till onion turns transparent.
- Add the cooked cluster beans,moong dal and fry for two minutes in medium flame till moisture gets absorbed.
- Add the grated coconut and stir well for a minute.
Notes
- My mother used to add 2 tsp of sugar and stir for a minute .(before adding coconut)
- It tastes great when mixed with ghee and hot rice.Believe me!!😁
Transfer to the serving dish! Serve as accompaniment for rice.
Nags
April 2, 2009 at 3:04 ami thought we only add either toor dal or urad dal in poriyal. glad to see moong dal is fine too 😀 thats the easiest to buy in singapore.
Madhu
April 2, 2009 at 3:22 amNice step by step presenttaion.Like them with side of rice.
LG
April 2, 2009 at 3:45 amThe picture of poriyal with generous amount of coconut on it is my fav! Lemonade pic looks gorgeous!
sowmya
April 2, 2009 at 4:04 amnice recipe..will try your way sometime..i usually make usali, never used onions..good one..
Priti
April 2, 2009 at 4:22 amLooks nice…before I never used to like cluster beans but now…I love them :)….will try your method ;)…did tried the pasta?
jeyashrisuresh
April 2, 2009 at 4:30 amnever had cluster beans poriyal.my mom used to do kootu and add some jaggery to it. yours looks tempting. will buy cluster beans this weekend.
Sushma
April 2, 2009 at 5:05 amI make a similar poriyal with cabbage. This one is new for me. Thanks for sharing.
indhu
April 2, 2009 at 5:50 amthis is a totally new recipe to me… looking at the picture, I thought it looked like beans paruppu usili… pleasantly surprised by the ingredients and the method 🙂
love the step-by-step pictures
– Indhu (www.thayirsaadham.com)
Priya
April 2, 2009 at 7:27 amMy grandma’s special dish is this, i love to have with hot rice..looks great Raks, i checked the slide show, now u can see the roundup..thanks for letting me know about the slide problem..
Suparna
April 2, 2009 at 8:01 amHi Rai,
I had learnt thoran from one of the blogger friends….am glad to learn this interesting way of making poriyal 🙂 nice methodical presentation 🙂
The drink looks cool 🙂
TC
Happy cook
April 2, 2009 at 9:58 amIlove bean poriyal like these, it was one of the dish wehad a lot in our lunch box and i still love them.
Madhumathi
April 2, 2009 at 11:01 amThe poriyal looks superb.We make the similar way at home..The pictures are fabulous..
I love the cucumber lemonade too 🙂
Sowjanya
April 2, 2009 at 11:44 amporiyal looks mouth watering. nice pics.
Asha
April 2, 2009 at 12:15 pmLove the Porial, I love the sweetish taste of Jawar! 🙂
DEESHA
April 2, 2009 at 12:37 pmthat looks absolutely gorgeous , I love the taste of cluster beans
EC
April 2, 2009 at 12:53 pmIts my grandpa’s favourite..minus the onions..good one
Gita's Kitchen
April 2, 2009 at 1:07 pmNice picture, I must also try your mom’s method of adding this poriyal with sugar, ghee, and rice. It sounds so yummy 🙂
Laavanya
April 2, 2009 at 1:22 pmPoriyal looks awesome Raks.. my mom always made paruppu usli with this veggie. I like adding mung dhal to poriyal too.
The picture of the drink looks so pretty.
Vandana Rajesh
April 2, 2009 at 1:54 pmSugar and moong dal are a new addition for me in poriyal. It looks delicious. Great with rice and rasam.
Ashwini
April 2, 2009 at 2:32 pmLove Poriyal..Looks so yumm..Lovely photo..
Rajitha
April 2, 2009 at 3:34 pmwith sugar..mmm…maybe i will take some poriyal out on the side and try it…i know my cousin would love it..he loves every thing sweet…
Cham
April 2, 2009 at 5:02 pmI make with toor dhal exactly the same way. The drink looks cool!
Akal's Saappadu
April 2, 2009 at 5:17 pmlovely click, absolutely appetizing, even for a total carnivore like me 🙂 will try it soon and keep you posted 🙂
raaji
April 2, 2009 at 5:41 pmI was not much into this when i was in India….But now I miss this….On my trip to India I was ordering my mom to cook all the veggies I havnt tasted here…..This is almost the same way my mom makes
Pooja
April 2, 2009 at 5:42 pmThanks for visiting my blog..Poriyal is looking delicious..We dont get fresh ones…will try when i have them..
AnuSriram
April 2, 2009 at 6:41 pmLooks delicious! My mom makes a similar curry with cluster beans…
Varsha Vipins
April 2, 2009 at 7:41 pmLooks superb Raks..!!..thorans are my fav..with lotsa coconut n tempering..thats just perfect with rice..looks yum..n the drink too.looks gorgeous..:)
Superchef
April 2, 2009 at 10:55 pmi just got some cluster beans from the indian store this weekend and was planning to make the same. Love this!
Vibaas
April 2, 2009 at 10:57 pmraji, my mom adds moong daal too. i am okay with cluster beans, not a fan, but your poriyal looks very yummy and tempting. love the last pic of the lemonade! Very cool! 😉
Sujatha
April 3, 2009 at 3:52 ammy husband’s favorite vegetable! and a nice comfort food.. I make this pretty pretty much in a similar way.. love your step-by-step photos.. 🙂
Valarmathi
April 3, 2009 at 4:19 amMy husband’s favorite one. I always put this in sambhar only. Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try this sure.
sriharivatsan
April 3, 2009 at 6:20 amAwesome pic..Looks yummy..Cluster beans is my favo one…
vidhas
April 3, 2009 at 12:20 pmRaji, Awesome clicks as usual. we also add moongdhall, but i pmicrowave that. I have never added onions, surely will try next time. We also make parruppu usili with this.
Daily Meals
April 3, 2009 at 2:49 pmPorial looks yummy…Like the cucumber lemonade…
TBC
April 3, 2009 at 11:47 pmI rarely buy cluster beans coz I find it a little bitter for my taste. The poriyal looks fantastic, R. Your pics are beautiful! 🙂
Adlak's tiny world
April 4, 2009 at 4:58 pmnice step by stp photos… lovely raji. i never tried this.looks yum
ARUNA
April 4, 2009 at 9:23 pmNice presentations…………the final product looks gorgeous!!
bigfish_chin
April 5, 2009 at 6:03 pmspecial… special…
Ramya Bala
April 6, 2009 at 12:02 ammm..poriyal cooking way diferent a irukae ;)..beautifully explained :)super raji…
aquadaze
April 6, 2009 at 6:55 amlove the poriyal made this way! looks yum
Kitchen Flavours
April 6, 2009 at 10:10 amWow this is new version of using cluster beans. Looks yum. Will try this soon. Cucumber lemonade looks yum.
Vicky Xavier.
April 6, 2009 at 1:50 pmNice poriyal recipe. Eager to taste it. Nice pics.
MR
April 6, 2009 at 10:53 pmI have a bag of frozen cluster beans
sitting idle will put it to good use
good recipe thanks
camelia
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K's Kitchen
February 24, 2015 at 1:18 pmHi last week I made this poriyal for first time and it was delicious with rice. The same day again I made this poriyal for night(for chapathi) on my Husbands demand he liked it very much.
When I cooked cluster beans it took loooooong tome to cook I was wondering whats with this kothavarangai but your note in kothavarangai sambar helped to know that theres nothing wrong and it will take long time to cook. one doubt can we keep kothavarangai in cooker so that it cooks fast.Thanks a lot once again.
Raks anand
February 24, 2015 at 1:22 pmYes you can, for an whistle 🙂
Unknown
October 2, 2015 at 9:26 amI made kothavarangai for the first time today following your recipe and it is delicious.. I seem to be going back and forth to the kitchen for a bite of it..
Achraj Singh
March 13, 2018 at 5:18 pmOMG! SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!! Your recipes are my fail safe…. my husband is from chennai and your recipes never fail to get his approval (and mine!!)…