Wash and trim the ends of the green beans.

Thinly slice the green beans, stacking about 8-10 green beans at a time (or less or more depending on your preference),

Transfer the sliced green beans to an insert pan or directly into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.

Add 1 cup of water to the green beans.

Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot, if using the insert pan. If the green beans are added directly to the inner pot, you can disregard this step.

Place the trivet inside and then place the insert pan with green beans and water over it.

Close the lid, turn the steam valve to sealing position.

Press the Steam button. Set the time to 5 minutes and pressure to low.

When cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally. This will take about 10-12 minutes.It will result in soft texture for the cooked beans. For tender beans with a crunchy texture, perform a quick release.

Open the lid and carefully drain the water from the pan with the beans. Set it aside till you are ready to use.

Alternatively, you can cook the beans with 2 cups of water in a pot over a stove by bringing it to a boil and then simmering it for 5-10 minutes till the beans turn to your desired texture (soft or tender with crunchy bite).

Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat.

When it starts shimmering, add the cumin and mustard seeds along with the dried red chilies and the asafetida. Let the seeds and the chilies sizzle in the hot oil for 30 seconds. The seeds will plump up and start crackling.

Turn the heat off immediately.

In a medium bowl, add the steamed green beans.

Season with salt, sugar and squeeze the juice from the lemon/lime over it.

Pour the spiced hot oil over it.

Add fresh grated coconut and chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.

Give it a good toss to combine everything well.

Adjust seasonings, if needed and serve immediately (see FAQs & Notes for storage information)