raw smell and taste of cooked green beans

Surekha
What do you mean they are already cooked? Are you using frozen or what?
Tina

 

Hi Surekha
I will tell you what I usually do at home when I make beans curry. See if it works for you.I buy the fresh beans from the stores like fred meyer or safeway.I never go in for frozen beans.I dont buy beans from the Indian grocery stores.I make it a point to buy them only from the american stores.I cut them to the size that I want and then microwave them for about 5-6 minutes. They will be cooked to a certain extent.I then do the seasoning, add the beans, fry them for sometime with the lip opened and then add the required ingredients and then close the pan with the lid and cook for a while. I have not faced any bad smell till date.I always make it a point to buy the beans from the American stores only because they are ultra fresh there.

 

Hey Surekha,

I too have same problem when I cook with fresh beans that I get here. Even after its cooked, it gives a kinda raw smell. I am not sure, may be its the type. I get it from a Chinese international market here.

Love,
Amy

 

hi

I avoid closing the lid from the beginning of cooking...
i keep mixing the curry thoroughly...
and in the end if necessary only i close lid of the pan
and use coconut dry or raw in the end.


vandannav

 

Hi Surekha,

Let me tell you what I do at home.

After washing the beans thoroughly, I chop them to the desired size.

Then I steam them inside a vessel (after adding salt, hing and turmeric powder )inside the pressure cooker (without putting on the weight) for about 15min. Note: I add water only in the cooker and no water to the beans in the vessel.

When we add salt, it lets out the liquid from the veggies when getting cooked.

Then finish cooking them on stovetop after tempering mustard seeds, uraddhal, gram dhal, curry leaves and ginger paste.

Finally I add the grated coconut and switch off the stove. Never have I had any raw smell from the beans irrespective of whether I purchase them from indian grocery or the american stores.

On the other hand, the beans can also be steamed in a Microwave (which I do sometimes) where we can fill the bottom container with water and on the top container we can add the beans (after chopping them) with salt,hing and turmeric powder. We can MW them on high for about 15-20min. Then follow the same method as above for cooking on stovetop.

One more thing, sometimes the beans are light green, thin and tender. These can be cooked quickly. Whereas, we do get beans which are slightly thick, dark green and takes more time to get cooked. (more time to be left for steaming).

I've done the same with frozen beans (which I buy only from Trader Joe's) also and the result has always been good whether I steam them in pressure cooker or the steamer in MW.

Hope this helps!

Cheers
Krithika

 

Surekha:
Since you are down in Texas, I am just wondering if you are buying Half Runner beans thinking they are regular green beans. Are they bigger and heavier and have a string? Ask your produce supplier if they are half runners. Those beans you have to pressure cook them and do them on low for maybe 45 mins but the end product is soooo delicious. These beans are popular in the south. Cook them and then add your gravy or masala at the end.

If you are using regular fresh green beans the easiest is just boil them in salted water and then drain and put them in whatever you fixing. If you want to cook them through frying (bhuno) then another method that works is to cut the beans in lengths the size of peas (less than 1/2 inch). You can fry them on high with tomato and masala and then also simmer for some time.