Nutty Beans

  Ingredients

  200gms round green beans cut into 1/2" bits
  1 tb sp finely chopped onions
  1 t sp finely chopped ginger and garlic
  1 tb sp tomato puree
  3/4 t sp whole cumin seeds
  1 heaped tsp coriander powder
  1/2 t sp haldi/ turmeric powder
  salt and chilli powder to taste
  1 tb sp roasted pine nuts
  1 1/2 tb sps cooking oil


 Method
  • Heat oil in a kadai or frypan till just beginning to smoke.
  • Lower heat and add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Quickly add chopped onions and fry till soft.
  • Add ginger garlic and fry for three minutes.
  • Add haldi, coriander powder and chilli powder and fry for two minutes without letting the masala burn.
  • Add tomato puree and cook for 3 minutes till all the ingredients are well blended.
  • Add the beans, stir well till all are coated with the masala.
  • Sprinkle a tb sp of water, cover and let it cook  in its own steam till the beans are tender but still crunchy.
  • Take off the lid, add fresh coriander and toss well.
  • Sprinkle the roasted pine nuts, toss and cook for a minute so that the flavour of the nuts blends with the beans.
  • Enjoy with hot rotis,dinner rolls or rice and dal.
                                                  _____________________________________


 Note: This is a dish that I've tasted in a restaurant in Bangalore and tried to recreate following my taste buds. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  
  

Adraki Gobi Aloo /Cauliflower and potatoes with ginger

  

    Ingredients

  6 cauliflower florets
  2 medium size potatoes
  1 1/2" piece of ginger cut into julliens
  1/2 t sp haldi(turmeric) powder
  salt to taste
  chilli powder to taste
  coriander / cilantro for garnish
  2 tb sps cooking oil

   Method

  • Wash and cut the cauliflower florets into four.
  • Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into wedged and then cut into halves.
  • Heat oil in a kadai or fry pan.
  • Add cauliflower, potatoes and mix well with the oil.
  • Lower heat, add haldi, chilli powder and salt and mix it well till evenly coated.
  • Add ginger julliens, stir and cover with a tight fitting lid to cook in its own steam. Keep the flame low.
  • Remove the lid and stir gently from time to time making sure that any drops of water on the lid fall back into the pan.If it looks dry, sprinkle a few drops of water and cover and cook till tender but not disintegrating.
  • Remove the lid and let it fry gently till no water is left and the oil begins to separate.
  • It should be quite soft but not mushy when done.
  • Transfer to a flat dish and garnish with coriander leaves and ginger julliens.
  • Enjoy with hot roties or rice and dal.

Bhindi Do Pyaza (okra with onions)

Ingredients

200 gms small tender bhindi (okra)
1 medium sized onion sliced thick
1 medium sized tomato sliced
1/2 t sp dhania( coriander) powder
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder
chilli powder to taste
salt to taste
1/2 cup oil for frying



      Method
  • wash, drain and dry the bhindi.
  • trim both the ends and give a small slit length wise.
  • heat oil in a frypan and fry bhindi in two batches till golden brown.Drain out the excess oil on a kitchen towel.
  • remove excess oil from the fry pan to be used later, leaving 11/2 tb sps in the frypan.
  • add sliced onions and fry till just turning golden.
  • Add sliced tomatos and fry for 3 minutes.
  • add dhania, haldi,and chilli powder and fry till the raw smell goes.
  • add the fried bhindi and mix well without breaking it.
  • add salt and mix it gently and cover with a loose lid for 2 minutes.
  • take the lid off and fry for another 3 minutes turning the bhindi gently.
  • transfer the bhindi to a dish and garnish it with ginger julliens.
  • serve with hot rotis or rice and dal.
                                      _______________________________________

Mixed Vegetable pulao

Ingredients

1cup basmati rice
1 medium sized onion
1 large tomato
1/2cup cauliflower florets
1 medium sized carrot
10-15green beans stringed
1/2cup shelled green peas
salt to taste
1/2 tb.sps cooking oil or ghee
3/4 t sp cumin seeds
1 large cardamom
1 1" stick cinnamon
3cloves
1 t sp black pepper corns
2cups water


Method
  • wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.
  • peel and slice onions.Wash and chop tomatoes.
  • Peel carrot and dice it into small cubes.
  • string beans and cut them into1/2" pieces.
  • heat oil in a thick bottomed saucepan.
  • add cumin, cardamom, cinnamon stick broken into two,cloves and peppercorns
  • once they begin to crackle, add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
  • add chopped tomatoes and fry till soft.
  • add salt and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  • add the vegetables. Drain water from the rice and add to the pan.Once it begins to boil, lower heat and cover the pan.
  • Stir gently as the water dries up and cover again till all the water has evaporated and rice is done.
  • Serve with yoghurt, pickle and chutney.
                                                     __________________________________


Note: For a new flavour each time vary the vegetables, using your imagination.