Cauliflower Beans Curry

• 1 large onion, chopped small
• large bunch of cilantro, stalks minced finely and leaves roughly chopped (keep the stalks and leaves separate)
• small green chilly (heat level according to your liking)
• 1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into bite-sized florets
• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 can (14.5-ounce) of diced tomatoes
• fresh ginger, shredded
• fresh garlic, minced finely
• ½ cup neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoon turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons garam masala

Instructions

1. Heat oil and add onion and cumin. Stir until onions are translucent.
2. Add chopped cilantro stalks, turmeric, and salt.
3. Add chiles and stir. Stir in tomatoes.
4. Add green beans and cauliflower and a few tablespoons of water if it looks like the mixture is too dry. I find American canned tomatoes somewhat watery/juicy, so I've never needed to add the extra water.
5. Coat vegetables with curry sauce.
6. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add garam masala.
8. Sprinkle top with cilantro leaves, turn off heat, and allow to sit before serving. Serve it warm as a meal or chill it like a salad. Makes 4 servings.

French Beans Aloo Koora

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• French beans -250 gms
• Potato-2(medium)
• Tomato-2 (medium)
• Curd-1/2 cup
• Water-3/4 cup
• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds-1/3 tsp
• Asafoetida-1/4 tsp
• Ginger-1 tsp
• Turmeric-1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder-1 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Garam masala-1/3 tsp
• Salt-1 tsp
• OIL-3Tbsp

PROCEDURE -

1. Wash and chop french beans into 1/2 inch size pieces,and peel and cube potatoes
2. Chop ginger and tomatoes into small pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin and mustard seeds.
4. When seeds start crackling add asafoetida and then add chopped tomato and ginger.
5. Add salt and cook till tomato become soft .
6. Now add  beaten curd and all the spices ,stir fry  for a minute .
7. Add chopped beans and potatoes and stir for a minute .
8. Now add 3/4 cup water ,mix and pressure cook on medium flame for 2- 3 whistles or till cooked well (depending on the quality of vegetable)
9. let it cool down completely and then open and cook for few seconds.
10. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Kerala Aviyal(Veg mix in Coconut sauce)

I feel that Avial is Kerala’s version of Ratatouille. It really is a bunch of random vegetables cut up to the same size and shape, layered and cooked. In this version, the vegetables are mixed with crushed coconut and spices and some kind of souring agent – mango, tamarind or yogurt. Most people I know use green mangoes in avial, but personally I hate mangoes in Avial. Yogurt is my preferred souring agent, I have never made it any other way! The vegetables used also vary depending on the availability and personal preferences, but I feel that drumstick is a must have vegetable in Avial. I found fresh drumsticks at the Indian store this time, I’ve always had to settle for the frozen variety before. If you can’t find drumsticks, don’t worry, it tastes pretty good even otherwise. I have listed the vegetables I used, but feel free to use anything else that you can find- like zucchini, squash, yard long beans, yam etc. 

Ingredients

• 1 drumstick
• 2 carrots
• 1 large white potato
• 1 green plantain
• 1 snake gourd
• a few green beans
• 1 eggplant
• 1/2 cup peas
• 6 green chilies, slit (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4th cup fresh/frozen grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• a few curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil (coconut oil is the best, I used olive oil)
• 1/2 cup thick yogurt

Method

Split the drumsticks in half  and cut into 1” pieces. Peel the carrots, potatoes and plantain and cut into thin 1” long pieces. Cut the snake gourd and eggplant also into the same size and shape. Break the edges of the green beans and cut into the same size. Split the green chilies in half.
Arrange all the vegetables in a large pan, add the chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and split the green chilies. Add 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp oil. Cover and cook on very low heat till the vegetables are tender. The vegetables should give out some liquid, but check the pan occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the veggies.
While the vegetables are getting cooked, place the grated coconut, shallots and cumin seeds in a food processor and process it for a few seconds to make a coarse mixture.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the coconut mixture, curry leaves and the remaining tbsp of oil to the pan, mix gently and cover and cook on low heat for 4 more minutes.
Stir in the yogurt and let it gently heat through for a minute or so. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Beans Peanut Fry

Beans Peanut Fry

 When the outdoors is rather uninviting, and nothing is perceived as of especial importance, one can't go wrong by focusing energy on good nourishment. Truly it is a sweet luxury to spend an afternoon in the kitchen. Poriyals are dry vegetable curries served with traditional South Indian meals. This preparation, adapted from Dakshin, was particularly appealing to me because it included not only the vegetable component of the meal, but the gritty goodness of toor dal too. Legumes are an essential element to a healthy vegetarian diet. Yellow split peas or chana dal can be substituted if you please.

Beans Peanut Fry

1 cup of Peanuts(fried) and Coconut(Shredded/dry Powder)
5 dried red chilies
3 cups of water
1 - 2 tablespoons of dried methi leaves (fenugreek)
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 pound of green beans, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
a wee bit of water
1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted

For the tempering:

2 tablespoons of oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of chana dal, rinsed
1 teaspoon of urad dal, rinsed
2 dried red chilies, halved
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
small handful of dried curry leaves

Soak the red chilies in 3 cups of water for at least 3 hours. Drain and transfer to a food processor along with the salt, asafoetida powder, Peanuts, Coconut and methi leaves. Process until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.

In a large wok, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped beans and tomatoes to the pan and cook, adding a bit of water if necessary, until the beans are just tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil or ghee over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, red chilies, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds begin to turn grey and pop, add the chana dal paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to brown a bit and turns crisp. Add the green beans and the peas and cook for another few minutes.

Serves 6.

Beans Kootu

 This Beans kootu is simple but delicious which tends to have a combination of fresh and dried ingredients: to make use of the abundant sauce , serve with hot  rice. If you are spice lover include chillies more. The vegetarian recipes you find in many Indian cuisines are some of the most delicious in the world as they embrace the flavors letting speak themselves.

This is one such kootu  that is a perfect treat for spicy taste-buds. Usually my mom use to prepare this recipe with cauliflower, for a change I tried with beans and even I recommend with cabbage. This comforting side dish goes well with roti / paratha. Sometimes with Indian breakfast like Idli, dosa and even with  Kerela style Appam too.

Prepartion & Cooking Time: 35 Minutes

YIELD : 2-3 Serving

Beans Kootu

Ingredients:

French Beans / Green Beans-250 grams
Bengal Gram /Chenna Dhal/ Kadhalai Paruppu-1/4 cup(soak it in warm water for 15 mts)
Tomato -1 Chopped
Turmeric Powder a Pinch
Jaggery a Pinch
Curry Leaves
Salt To Taste

For Spice Paste:
Thoor Dhal/Split Red lentil-1 tsp
Bengal Gram/ Chenna Dhal-1tsp
Peppercorns-1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds-2 tsp
Dried Red Chilli-4no.
Grated Coconut- 2-3 tbsp

For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds-1tsp
Cumin Seeds-1tsp
Asafoetida -1/2tsp

*Substitute chenna dhal with moong dhal for a change.

Beans Kootu

Method:

1. Wash and cut beans into 1"inch pieces. Pressure cook both beans and lentil in a seperate vessel till  firm soft .
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in fry pan add spice paste ingredients one by one. Gently roast till aromatic. Cool and grind to smooth paste with water added.
3. Heat  a tbsp of oil deep vessel.  Add mustard and wait it splutter, now add cumin seeds, curry leaves and asefoetida. Add the cooked bean and lentil with finely chopped tomato. Stir ones and let it cook till tomatoes are soft.
4. Now add turmeric powder and required salt. At this point add  ground paste, jaggery and needed water for the gravy.
5. Simmer and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Dish out.
6. Serve hot with rice or Chappati/Roti. This even goes well with Idli and Dosa.

Note:

• Don't over cook beans and lentil. It should be firm to hold.
• If you like the taste of tamarind, substitute in place of tomato.

Beans Karakulambu - Mommy's Special- 200th Post

 Beans Curry - Mommy's Special

 Beans Karakulambu - Mommy's Special

Yet, another recipe from my family to be my 200th Post. My mother always hesitates to prepare this dish, saying...this  beans may give heart burns and increase one's bile secretion...I dunno how far this is true! Food allergies and taboos come from individual dislikes and phobia. Anyhow, I like this cluster beans a lot. So, it became mandatory to include this once in a while in cooking, back home. My Mom goes to different lengths to minimise the effect, by boiling the beans and duly throwing away the water (which is vitamin rich in my opinion) and she compulsively adds more cumin powder to reduce the intensity. Oh, my...now as a grown up, I feel awful for being so adamant(demanding). Coming to the recipe, its very simple...follow the instructions below.:)

Ingredients:
 Beans 1/4 kilo
Tamarind paste 1/2 spoon
Red onion 1 large finely chopped
Garlic 1 large peeled and semi crushed
Ginger 1" grated
Tomato 1 large chopped
Jaggery or brown sugar 1 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Rice powder 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 2 spoons - toasted and powdered
Sesame oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-5
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Wash and clean the beans, remove the strings and cut into tiny pieces.

Boil 2 cups of water, with enough salt and pinch of turmeric. Now add the vegetable to this. Allow this beans to get half the way cooked. Remove from heat and discard the water.

In a deep pan, heat few spoons of oil. Add garlic, ginger fry till its raw smell leaves the pan. Further add onions, fry till golden brown. Now add tomatoes and continue frying.

Add salt, turmeric, chili powder, sugar and rice powder.

Add the cooked beans to it, now. Fry them for a while. Then add tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook over medium flame.

Once the curry thickens, add the cumin seeds powder to it, bring this to a boil...its done.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, fenugreek, chana dal, urad dal, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Let them pop and splutter well. Run this seasoning over the curry made.

Serve to go with plain steamed rice. Run a spoon of ghee over it, just before serving. Thats it, dig in:)

Asparagus Coconut Thoran and Beans Sambar

Asparagus Stirfry,Cauliflower Pepperfry, Potato Podimas,Beans sambar,Instant bonda

Asparagus is a vegetable with lots of nutritional and medicinal properties. As usual I started cooking with this vegetable with a thoran recipe. It turned out to be a delicious and nutritious side dish with rice.

White asparagus spears- 500 gms, cleaned

Shredded coconut- 3 tbsp or more

Green chillies- 3, slit lengthwise

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds- 2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- a sprig (optional)

Cut and discard the woody base and chop the asparagus heads into small pieces.

Crush the coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder and cumin seeds together to a coarse mix, either with your hands or with a pestle and mortar.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds. 

Add the coarse coconut mix and the curry leaves (if any) at this stage. Sauté for a few seconds on medium heat, but make sure you don't burn them.

Add the chopped asparagus heads and salt. Stir well, making sure the coconut mix and the asparagus is combined evenly.

Close the lid and cook on medium heat, stirring in between and if it sticks to the bottom, pour about a tsp water.

The thoran should be ready in about 12 to 15 minutes.

 

Beans Sambar Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor Dal (Wash and soak for about half an hour in water)
• Chopped beans.
• One lemon sized (medium) tamarind.
• 2 lemons sized (medium) jaggery.
• Turmeric powder
• Sambar powder
• Hing
• Salt (as per taste).
• Coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Method

Beans Sambar

• Cook the chopped beans and soaked dal with some water in the pressure cooker and keep aside.
• Now, to a bowl of warm water soak tamarind. After about 3-4 minutes, squeeze the tamarind and extract it. Remove all the hard non-dissolvable tamarind particles. So, now tamarind water is left.
• To a vessel, add tamarind water and jaggery and heat.
• When the tamarind water comes to boil state, add turmeric and all of the boiled beans and dal.
• Add hing and lower the flame and allow it for about 5 minutes.
• Then, add sambar powder and salt and boil some more.
• Finally add the coriander leaves and curry leaves for the added aroma.

Beans Sambar with the mixture of all possible tastes is done in the Udupi traditional way.

Roti, Beans Stir-fry with Coconut and Spices and Onion Tomato Masala

Roti, Beans Stir-fry with Coconut and Spices
and Onion Tomato Masala

Beans Stir-fry with Coconut and Spices

Preparation time:10 minutes
Cook time :  20 minutes
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients
3 1/2 cup Ammarakai/ Guar beans  (chopped finely )
1 1/2 Onion ( chopped finely)
1/2 Coconut
1/2  teaspoon Red chili powder
 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1 1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 tablespoon  Urad dal/ split black gram
2 no Red chilies
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon Coconut oil
1/2 cup water
2 sprig curry leaves.
How I made

• Wash and clean the guar beans cut the head and tail and the cut them into fine pieces and set aside, chop the onion and set aside.
• Heat coconut oil  in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal and halved red chilies, when mustard seeds starts splutter add chopped onion, guar beans
• To this add turmeric powder, salt and water and close the lid cook for until entire water is evaporates and beans gets cooked.
• Then add coconut, cumin powder and red chili powder and mix once and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and enjoy with rice and gravy. 

Basic Onion Tomato Masala

Chutney is an excellent accompaniment to Indian meals, plowman's lunches, sandwiches and any other savory dish you like to add a bit of sweetness and spice to. This tomato and onion chutney is not one for keeping––it's to be made for a meal to be eaten the same day, fresh and spicy.

Ingredients

• 3 large tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 3-4 green chillies
• few coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 garlic paste
• 1-1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• A pinch hing (asafoetida)
• 1/2 tsp groundnut powder (new crop peanut powder) (optional)
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. 1Cut the tomatoes, onions, and green chillies into small pieces.
   
   
   2Heat the oil in the pan. Fry the mustard and cumin seeds for a minute.
   
   3Add the hing, curry leaves, green chili and onions. Deep fry until...
   
   4... The onions turn brownish.
   
   5Add the garlic paste continue frying.
   
   6Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes get gravy.
   
   7Add the red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, sugar, salt and...
   
   8... The groundnut powder.
   
   9Fry until the oil in the pan separates.
   
   10Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves.
   
   11Serve with parathas or rice.