An Invitation to Indian Cooking - Madhur Jaffrey [65]
1½ pounds fresh green beans
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, about 1 inch square, coarsely chopped
1 medium-sized canned tomato, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
10 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole black mustard seeds
1 or 2 whole dried red peppers (optional), or ½ hot fresh green chili, sliced in half (optional) or ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (or to taste)
GARNISH
1 tablespoon finely chopped Chinese parsley (fresh coriander greens or cilantro)
Wash the beans. Trim the ends. Slice them into fine rounds about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. (This takes a while, so it is best to sit down somewhere with chopping board and sharp knife and do about 8 beans at a time.)
Put the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, and turmeric in a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
Put 6 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in an 8-inch skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, and heat it on medium. Pour in mixture from blender and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time, adding a teaspoon of warm water if and when it starts to stick at the bottom. Now put in the coriander and cumin and continue frying another 5 minutes, again adding a teaspoon of warm water if necessary to prevent sticking.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the remaining tablespoons of oil over medium flame. When very hot, put in the whole cumin and mustard seeds. After 10 seconds, add the whole red peppers if you are using them. Stir once, and as the peppers darken and the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the sliced green beans and the sliced green chili if you are using it. Now scrape up all the mixture from the first skillet and add it to the beans. Fry the beans on medium flame for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Turn heat to low, add the salt and lemon juice, and let the beans cook covered, stirring now and then, until they are tender (about 35 minutes). If you are using cayenne pepper, stir it in 5 minutes before end of cooking time. If the beans stick to the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of water, stir, and keep cooking.
To serve: These beans can be cooked in advance and reheated over a low flame. Serve them in a warm dish and, if you like, sprinkle finely chopped Chinese parsley over them. They are good with Koftas and plain rice, go well with nearly all meats, and especially well with parathas, pooris, and chapatis.
Green beans with ginger
SERVES 4–6
This dish is simple to make and has a very fresh, gingery taste.
1½ pounds fresh green beans
A piece of ginger, about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ fresh hot green chili (optional), washed and sliced very fine
3 tablespoons chopped Chinese parsley (fresh coriander greens or cilantro)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1¼ teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons lemon juice (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Wash the green beans and trim the ends. Slice into fine rounds, ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. When all the beans are chopped, set aside in a bowl.
Put the ginger in the blender with 3 tablespoons of water and blend at high speed until it is a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. While it is heating, pour in paste from blender and add turmeric. Fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then add the sliced green chilies and the parsley, and after another minute, put in the green beans and continue cooking and stirring for about a minute. Add the cumin,