Fansi nu Shaak is an easy Gujarati stir-fry made with green beans. I keep the recipe quick ‘n’ easy by using basic spice powders only. Serve as part of an everyday Gujarati thali .
When green beans are fresh and crisp, they don’t need much fuss. I go with just a few spices to let their true flavour shine.
My shaak is light on the spices, using only the 4 basic spice powders that we all have in our kitchen. In typical Gujarati fashion, I finish it with a squeeze of lemon or lime and a sprinkle of sugar.
The delicate but delicious taste allows me to layer more flavours in the thali with a pickle like gajar marcha nu athanu and a sweet Gujarati dal .
I cook the fansi until just tender and not mushy so they hold their natural crunch and shape. I keep the shaak dry, and only add drops of water to help the fansi to cook.
Sometimes I add potatoes to this recipe – especially when there’s only one lonely packet of green beans in the fridge wondering how it’ll feed everyone! If you do the same, simply peel and cut a potato into cubes. Add it to the shaak the same time the green beans are added and they’ll cook perfectly.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Green beans – in the UK, these are sold in supermarkets as green beans. You may find them as French beans (slightly thinner and tender) or string beans. Check that the variety of string beans you use are “stringless” or you may need to manually remove the strings.
Oil – I like to use a neutral flavoured oil for day to day cooking to prevent strong flavours entering the food.
Mustard seeds & cumin seeds – I use a combination of both because I prefer the flavours. If you only use one, I recommend using mustard seeds as they have a stronger flavour that carries through the shaak.
Hing – I always add hing (asafoetida) when I cook no onion or garlic curries . If you don’t have it to hand, you can skip it.
Spice powders – I use red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin coriander and garam masala. I like to go easy on the spices, so not to overpower, as the green beans are mild.
Sugar & lemon juice – A touch of sugar and lemon juice (very typical in Gujarati cooking) balances the spices and brings out the natural sweetness of green beans.
Salt – green beans shrink slightly once cooked, so salt accordingly!
How to make fansi nu shaak
- I’m starting with a classic Gujarati vaghar of mustard seeds, cumin, and a pinch of hing sizzling in hot oil.
- Fresh green beans go in —cut evenly so they cook at the same pace and soak up all the masala. I like to allow the green beans to cook first without any masala so that the masala do not burn. Add the potatoes at this point if using.
- Halfway there! The beans are softening but still bright. Add the spice powders at this point and the salt . I find it easier to add the salt here, once the beans have shrunk a little, as I can better judge how much to add. My mantra – you can always add more salt, but you can’t take it out! I also add a spoon of water if I feel the shaak is drying up too fast.
- Finished with some lemon juice and sugar ! The fansi are just tender, lightly spiced, and still holding their shape. This is the texture you’re aiming for.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Fansi Nu Shaak
Equipment
- pan or Kadai
Ingredients
- 500 grams green beans fansi
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon hing
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander dhana jeeru
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- Wash and remove both ends of fansi, then cut into small pieces.
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds first and then tip in the cumin seeds a few seconds later. Once they splutter, add hing.
- Tip in chopped fansi and stir well and cover with a lid.
- Allow to cook on low heat in it’s own steam for 5-7 minutes. Stir a couple of times in between to prevent sticking.
- Now add all the spices masalas and salt and mix well. If needed, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of water and cook on low heat without the lid.
- It will take another 5-7 minutes. Check by pressing one piece of fansi with your fingers, then add the sugar and lemon. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle fresh chopped coriander before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Fansi Nu Shaak
Equipment
- pan or Kadai
Ingredients
- 500 grams green beans fansi
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon hing
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander dhana jeeru
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- Wash and remove both ends of fansi, then cut into small pieces.
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds first and then tip in the cumin seeds a few seconds later. Once they splutter, add hing.
- Tip in chopped fansi and stir well and cover with a lid.
- Allow to cook on low heat in it’s own steam for 5-7 minutes. Stir a couple of times in between to prevent sticking.
- Now add all the spices masalas and salt and mix well. If needed, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of water and cook on low heat without the lid.
- It will take another 5-7 minutes. Check by pressing one piece of fansi with your fingers, then add the sugar and lemon. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle fresh chopped coriander before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Coconut Ladoos are an Indian sweet made with fresh or dried coconut. My recipe makes the softest, creamiest ladoo and are full of real coconut flavour.
Unlike the shortcut versions, I cook desiccated coconut in milk and avoid that dry, chalky texture. Just three ingredients and a perfect melt in the mouth finish. I’m passionate about this one!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in September 2019. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
So many coconut ladoo recipes rely on cutting corners – a quick mix of desiccated coconut and condensed milk, often yielding dry balls that stick to the roof of your mouth. If you’ve coughed after eating one of these, you’ll know what I mean.
But this isn’t one of those.
In my version, I take the time to slowly cook fine desiccated coconut (or even coconut flour) in plenty of milk, letting it soften, swell, and absorb flavour fully. Even if I’m making coconut ladoo with condensed milk , I still add extra milk to keep the mixture soft, almost fudgy — never dry or crumbly.
The result is a super soft, melt-in-the-mouth coconut ladoo with intense coconut flavour and a rich, creamy finish. There’s no cardamom or extras – just three ingredients: coconut, milk, and sugar. Simple, pure, and all about letting the coconut truly shine.
See the soft, creamy texture here?
And don’t worry.
The recipe is not difficult – it’s simple and actually very easy to follow. You just need a little bit of time. And why not, when you’re taking the effort to make such an incredible sweet.
It’s an easy Indian sweet for a dinner party but will have your guests impressed with your skills!
Ingredients Notes & Tips
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Desiccated coconut – the key ingredient, so it’s important to get it right.
It is available in almost every supermarket and can be found in lots of varieties. I like using the fine variety . The finer, the easier for it to absorb the milk and become soft. If you can’t get it, you can grind it down in a food processor.
I’ve also used coconut flour on many occasions like in these mango coconut ladoo , which works really well. Not to be confused with coconut powder or coconut milk powder. It doesn’t act the same way.
You can of course use fresh grated coconut and follow the same steps in the recipe, but, it will require longer to roast.
Milk – full fat only for rich creaminess.
Sugar – I use granulated white sugar, and that’s the only sugar I recommend to achieve the colour and flavour. I add the sugar after the milk has all cooked up to prevent the sugar burning or the ladoo becoming chewy. The milk needs some time to cook first!
How to make coconut ladoo without condensed milk
All it takes is a few simple steps:
- Lightly toast the coconut until aromatic.
- Stir it into heated milk and cook until the milk is absorbed.
- Add sugar, cook until the mixture thickens. There’s no need to make a sugar syrup — no thread stage, no thermometer.
- Shape and coat in coconut.
Lightly toasting the coconut brings out its aroma and deepens the flavour. It also removes some of the moisture from the coconut so it can absorb the milk. Toast on very low heat – the colour of the coconut shouldn’t change.
Heat the milk until it comes to a boil whilst constantly stirring. Milk loves to stick to the pan and burn.
Add the toasted coconut to the milk and let it cook slowly – low and slow is the mantra here, like with many of my Indian milk sweets . Keep stirring constantly. And don’t start doom scrolling on Instagram at the same time. Let the coconut fully absorb the milk until the mixture is soft and thick. You’ll see it start coming together and forming a single mass.
Add sugar and keep cooking gently on a low heat it will loosen at first, then thicken again as it cooks down. Once done, it should hold together easily when pressed and feel soft and sticky.
Remove from the hot pan and allow the mixture to cool until it’s just warm. Slightly warm is best for shaping. Grease your hands with a little ghee and roll into balls.
Roll each ladoo in fine coconut to coat – it gives a beautiful classic finish and extra texture.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Coconut Ladoo
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottomed pan or kadai
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cup desiccated coconut fine variety
- 4 cup milk whole or full-fat
- ¾ cup sugar
Instructions
- Dry roast the 2 cup desiccated coconut in a wide pan over a low flame until you can smell the coconut. Continually stir to prevent the coconut from going brown.
- Remove the toasted coconut in a plate, and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 4 cup milk and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Keep stirring continuously.
- Once it is boiling, reduce the heat and add the toasted coconut, reserve a few spoons for decorating later.
- Keep stirring continuously and cook the mixture until the milk dries up completely.
- To the coconut mixture, add 3/4 cup sugar and keep stirring. The mixture at this stage will become watery and loose as the sugar releases moisture.
- Keep stirring the coconut ladoo mixture until it starts leaving the sides of the pan and become shiny and firm.
- Remove the mixture into a wide plate and allow to cool until just warm.
- Divide the ladoo mixture into equal portions and shape into round balls using the palms of your hands. Apply a little ghee to your hands if needed.
- Roll them into the remaining desiccated coconut.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
