Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online
Authors: Neelam Batra
1,000 Indian Recipes (175 page)
Har Roz ki Hari Phalliyan
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ordinary everyday green beans take on a brand new look and flavor when they are cooked the Indian way, with fragrant spices. Here is a simple recipe that can be made with one trip to the supermarket. The only ingredient you will not find there is mango powder, but you can use fresh lemon juice in its place if you don't already have it. Either adds a sour element to the dish that balances the spicy and starchy elements.
1 pound green beans, strings removed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
2 small red or white potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground cumin
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1
⁄
2
teaspoon mango powder or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
To prepare the beans, trim only the stem ends and then cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch diagonal slices, or chop coarsely.
2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, green chile pepper, and ginger, and stir about 30 seconds. Add the beans and the potatoes, then mix in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and salt, and stir 2 to 3 minutes over high heat.
3.
Add the tomato, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and all the juices have evaporated, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix in the mango powder. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.
Mixed Green and Yellow Beans with Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
Anardana vaali Hari aur Peeli Phalliyan
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This green bean dish has great color and flavor provided by the mixed beans, the almonds, and vibrant, pungent dried pomegranate seeds.
1
⁄
2
cup sliced almonds, dry-roasted (
Dry-Roasting Spices, Nuts, Flours
)
1 pound mixed green beans and yellow beans, strings removed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken
1
⁄
2
teaspoon cumin seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 small purple, russet or white potatoes, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
4 small carrots, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground dried pomegranate seeds
1
⁄
4
cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Roast the almonds. Trim only the stem ends of the beans and then cut them into
1
⁄
2
-inch diagonal slices.
2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers, cumin, and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides.
3.
Add the potatoes, beans, carrots, ginger, coriander, turmeric, and salt, and cook about 3 minutes over high heat. Add the tomato, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
4.
Mix in the dried pomegranate seeds. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with sliced almonds, fresh pomegranate seeds, and garam masala, and serve.
Spicy Yard-Long Beans
Masaladar Lobia ki Phalliyan
Makes 4 to 6 servings
I love the light tangy taste and earthy flavor of these beans, which are a close relative of black-eyed peas and are called
lobia ki phalli
in the north (
lobia
is the Hindi name for black-eyed peas). The Indian variety is about 9 to 12 inches long, and the ones I find in America are actually about 18 inches long, but they both taste very similar. Look for them in Indian and Asian stores, and in farmers' markets and well-stocked produce markets.
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried curry leaves
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground cumin
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 pound yard-long beans, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 medium white potato, boiled until tender, peeled, and cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or sauce-pan over medium-high heat, add the cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, and green chile pepper, and stir about 1 minute.
2.
Add coriander, curry leaves, cumin, and turmeric, followed by the tomato, beans, and salt. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the beans are partially cooked, about 6 minutes.
3.
Add the boiled potato and cilantro, and cook until the beans are tender and all the juices have evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.
Asparagus with Purple Potatoes
Shatwar aur Kashni Aalu
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Although asparagus is not an everyday Indian vegetable, my mother still remembers eating it as a child. Here is my take on my grandmother's recipe.
For this dish, snap off the fibrous asparagus stems and discard, or use them to make broth or soup.
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds