Barbati ki Sabji | Long Beans Recipe

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Barbati ki Sabji with step by step photos – a simple dry preparation or sabzi made with long beans, spices, coconut and chana dal.

barbati ki sabji served in a white bowl with text layover.

In Hindi language, green long beans are called as barbati or lobia ki phalli and in Marathi known as chawli chya shenga. In English it has various names – yard long bean, long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, pea bean, snake bean, cow pea beans or Chinese long bean.

You can see a photo of these green yard long beans below. These beans are usually long and hence the name. When cooking with long beans always make sure that they are tender and fresh. The beans that have matured become more drier, stringy, dense and do not taste good.

making chawli bhaji recipe

This is a pretty simple and an easy recipe of a Maharashtrian style sabji or bhaji which I often make at home. This sabji tastes very good with roti and can also be served as a side veggie dish with dal and rice.

The Barbati ki Sabji recipe also has chana dal and coconut added to it. You can skip chana dal, but do add coconut. If you do not have fresh coconut, opt to add dessicated coconut.

Being a dry preparation, this sabzi also goes well in the lunch box with some chapati or paratha.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Barbati ki Sabji

Preparation

1. First rinse 2 tablespoons of chana dal in water for a few times and then soak them in ⅓ cup hot for 30 minutes.

Later drain the water and keep the soaked chana dal aside.

making chawli bhaji recipe

2. Either you can rinse the long beans and then chop or chop them first and then rinse. Whichever method suits you.

To avoid the water soluble nutrients getting rinsed in water, I first rinse the long beans and then chop. Slice off the top and bottom part and discard them. Then chop the beans in small pieces.

making chawli bhaji recipe

Make Barbati ki Sabji

3. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a shallow frying pan. Lower the heat and then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.

making chawli bhaji recipe

4. Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions, 1 green chili (chopped) and 7 to 8 curry leaves.

making chawli bhaji recipe

5. Stir well to mix and combine.

making chawli bhaji recipe

6. Sauté the onions on a low or medium heat till they turn translucent.

making chawli bhaji recipe

7. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder & a pinch of asafoetida, when the onions become translucent and are softened.

making chawli bhaji recipe

8. Stir quickly and then add the chopped long beans and the soaked chana dal.

making chawli bhaji recipe

9. Season with salt according to taste.

making chawli bhaji recipe

10. Add 1 cup water. Mix very well.

making chawli bhaji recipe

11. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and simmer the long beans on a low to medium heat till they are tender and softened.

making phali ki sabzi recipe

12. Do check the barbati sabzi at intervals to see if the long beans are cooked or not and if the water has dried up.

If the water has dried up and the long beans or chana dal is yet to cook, then add some more water.

making phali ki sabzi recipe

13. When the beans and lentils are softened and all the water has dried up in the sabji, add 4 to 5 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut. 

If there is any water then dry the sabzi completely, before adding coconut.

making phali ki sabzi recipe

14. Mix very well and then add 3 to 4 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix the sabji again. If you want you can even add less amount of coriander leaves – about 1 to 2 tablespoons.

making phali ki sabzi recipe

15. Serve Barbati ki Sabji with chapati, paratha or as a side dish with your meals. This sabzi also goes very well as a side dish with sambar-rice or rasam-rice.

chawli bhaji recipe

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chawli bhaji recipe, long beans sabzi recipe, phali ki sabzi recipe

Barbati ki Sabji | Long Beans Recipe

Barbati ki Sabji is a simple dry preparation or sabzi made with yardlong beans, spices, coconut and chana dal. Pair as a healthy side dish with roti, paratha or your Indian meals.
4.88 from 8 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking Time For Chana Dal 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cuisine Konkani & Malvani, Maharashtrian
Course Side Dish
Diet Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • cup onion (chopped) or 1 medium-sized
  • 1 green chili – chopped or ½ to 1 teaspoon, chopped
  • 7 to 8 curry leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 250 grams long beans (barbati or lobia ki phalli)
  • 2 tablespoon chana dal – soaked in ⅓ cup hot water
  • 1 cup water or add as required
  • 3 to 4 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped)
  • 4 to 5 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
  • salt as required

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • First rinse chana dal in water for a few times and then soak them in ⅓ cup hot for 30 minutes. Later drain the water and keep the soaked chana dal aside.
  • Either you can rinse the beans and then chop or chop them first and then rinse. Whichever suits you. To avoid the water soluble nutrients getting rinsed in water, I first rinse the beans and then chop. 
  • Slice off the top and bottom part and chop the beans in small pieces.

Making barbati ki sabji

  • Heat oil in a shallow frying pan. Lower the heat and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
  • Then add chopped onions and green chillies together with curry leaves.
  • Saute the onions on a low or medium heat till they turn translucent and are softened.
  • Add turmeric powder and asafetida, when the onions become translucent.
  • Stir quickly and then add the chopped long beans and the chana dal.
  • Season with salt.
  • Add 1 cup water. Mix very well.
  • Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and simmer the long beans on a low to medium heat till they are softened.
  • Do check the sabji or bhaji at intervals to see if the beans are cooked or not and if the water has dried up.
    If the water has dried up and the beans or chana dal are yet to cook, then add some more water.
  • When the long beans and chana dal are cooked well, softened and the water has dried up in the sabji, add fresh grated coconut.
    If there is any water then dry the sabzi completely, before adding coconut.
  • Mix very well and then add chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix again.
  • Serve Barbati ki Sabji with chapati or as a side dish with dal-rice. This long beans sabji also goes very well as a side dish with sambar-rice or rasam-rice.

Notes

  • Remember to use fresh, young and tender long beans. 
  • Swap fresh coconut with unsweetened desiccated coconut. 
  • Omit adding chana dal if you do not prefer adding the lentils in the sabji. 
  • Easily scale the recipe to make for less or more servings.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Barbati ki Sabji | Long Beans Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 133 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 336mg15%
Potassium 201mg6%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 631IU13%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg7%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 20mg100%
Vitamin B6 0.04mg2%
Vitamin C 49mg59%
Vitamin E 2mg13%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 64mg6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 249µg62%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 34mg9%
Phosphorus 52mg5%
Zinc 0.4mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Barbati ki Sabji recipe post from the archives first published on April 2016 has been republished and updated on November 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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