Green Beans and Bell Pepper Subzi

In an effort to eat healthy and not tear out my hair in the decision making process on a hectic weekday, my husband and I have come up with a technique that we have begun implementing from last week. It remains to be seen if it will be effective enough to continue.
Every weekend, we go through the refrigerator and pantry shelves, check what is available and then make a list of what we would like to have for lunch and dinner, for every day of the coming week. Grocery shopping also becomes easier and less impulsive when I know exactly what I need to shop for. Evenings are less stressful too since I already know what I need to do to get dinner on the table in time. If possible, I try and do the prep work beforehand, like chopping vegetables or boiling dals and lentils.
My recent trip into the Sprouts Farmer's market had me coming back with a big bunch of fresh green beans and luscious red bell peppers or capsicums as they are known in India. I decided to pair it up with whole wheat chapaties for this evening's dinner.
Fresh green beans usually needs to be cooked for some time to get it tender enough to absorb all the flavourings. earlier, I used to prepare the seasonings, add the fresh beans , sufficient water, spices and just cook it till tender. But this time I decided to use as less water as possible. I decided to steam the beans instead of boiling and I liked the result !
Try for yourselves -




Ingredients:

Big bunch of fresh green beans
(I don't know what quantity it was, but it was enough to make 8-10 servings!)
1 medium sized bell pepper (any colour, I used red), finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
1 tsp garam masala (or any other masala of choice)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper / paprika
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
pinch of sugar
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander/ cilantro leaves
2 tbsp peanuts, powdered


Seasoning:

1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
generous pinch of asafoetida
2 -3 curry leaves (optional, but really enhances the taste)


Method:

Steam the fresh green beans in a double boiler. If you don't have one, improvise ! That's what I did..Brought a pot of water to boil. Put the chopped beans into the steamer plate that is included with any rice cooker. Placed the plate over the pot of boiling water and covered the plate. Steamed for about 15 minutes.

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and roast until the mustard seeds start popping.
2. Add the asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for some more time.
3. Add the coriander and cumin seed powders, cayenne pepper, salt and sugar and mix well.
4. Add the chopped bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until the pepper starts getting tender.
5. Add the steamed green beans and mix well so that the spices coat the vegetable pieces well.
6. Add the garam masala and the peanuts and about a quarter cup of water.
7. Mix well, cover and let cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Take off from stove, add in the lemon juice, mix well and serve hot with chapaties, tortillas or as a side dish with rice !

This subzi also makes a wonderful sandwich or wrap filling.

Verdict:
The steaming retained the colour of the beans better than boiling. I liked that the beans were tender yet a little crunchy. The flavour from the spices was not overwhelming and complemented the beans quite nicely !
This subzi is sure to be seen on my cooking list often.

What methods do you employ to have a worry free week day ?

Aloo Methi (Potatoes with fenugreek leaves)

I had never known the simple pleasure of harvesting my own vegatables and herbs until a few weeks back ! I had planted methi seeds in my vegetable bed, by just sprinkling a handful of the seeds in a small area. Soon, I watched and gloated as the seeds sprouted and the shoots reared their heads skywards ! How I waited for them to grow so that I could pick the leaves and take them into the kitchen !! I didn't have to wait too long...At the time of sowing the seeds, in my excitement, I didn't realize that there were too many seeds in the given area and found to my dismay that the shoots were fighting for space, nutrients and sunlight...When I saw that unless I harvested, the plants would soon meet an untimely demise, I picked the tender leaves and shoots and brought them inside...
Even though I wasn't able to maintain the plants for a longer duration, I was able to get enough leaves for me to prepare two dishes and that is saying a lot ! It was so gratifying to be able to grow something and be able to cook with it !
Below is my version of Aloo Methi, a very simple, no-frills and earthy dish....Hope you like it.


Ingredients

2 medium sized potatoes
1 bunch of fenugreek leaves
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp red chile powder (cayenne pepper)
pinch of asafoetida
dash of lemon / lime juice

Method:
1. Peel the potatoes. If you prefer to keep the skin on (potato skins have a high nutrition value, so its recommended that you keep them on)...just make sure you scrub the potatoes really well before using them)
2. Dice the potatoes into small, equal sized pieces. Wash the fenugreek leaves thoroughly o get the dirt out of the leaves, Chop them finely and reserve.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds and allow the seeds to splutter. Add the asafoetida at this point.
4. Add the turmeric, cumin powder, the coriander powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly.
5. Drop in the potatoes and turn with a wooden spoon until potato pieces are covered with the oil-spice mixture.
6. Add about a quarter cup of water, put a lid on and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. After 10 minutes, add the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add a little bit more water, if required. (Only add as much water as is required to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan. Do make sure to cover the pan when you add the water, so that the potatoes get cooked due to the steam)
8. Once the potatoes are tender, squirt the lemon juice on top and serve as a side dish with rice.

Notes:
* Addition of a lot of water will make the potatoes mushy and it will no longer be (as Alton Brown says) "Good Eats" :-)
* If you do not have fresh fenugreek leaves, you can also use kasoori methi instead. You might have to add a tad bit more water.
* This preparation can be had with chapaties / tortillas too, but I find it a bit dry with chapaties.
* Makes a good sandwich filler !

All in all a good recipe to have.

Nuritional Facts on Potatoes:
* A large baked potato, including the skin, has 278 calories, out of which only 3 calories are from fat.
* The potato , as well as the skin is a great source of Vit. C, Vit. B6, copper, manganese, potassium and fiber. It is also high in iron and protein content.
* Potato skins contain a variety of phytonutrients which help in maintaining the cells of the body.

Nutritional Facts on Fenugreek:
* Fenugreek or methi leaves have a very high iron content.
* Methi seeds have nutritional as well as medicinal values. The seeds can help relieve sore throat,cough, hyper-acidity and burning sensation in stomach.
* The usual way to consume methi in medicine format is to make a tea with the seeds and have it with a little honey.
* Methi seeds can also be ground and used as a remedy for dandruff and for making hair shinier and silkier.

Maavinkaayi Gojju / Raw Mango Gojju

Generally when we plan for any major meal, we select a main dish, an entree, something that will be the star of the show, something to dazzle the senses of the guests, a dish that will set the theme for the table. If the menu is Indian, the entree could be one of several tantalizing rice dishes, or a wonderful korma or a finger licking-good makhanwala dish. You could have wonderful pasta dishes that adorn the center of the goodie table. But, in all the adoration for these main dishes, the ubiquitous, necessary side dishes are almost always forgotten. They are made with regularity, enough care is put into their preparation so that they do not spoil the meal, but I don't think they ever get the appreciation that they deserve. After all, its these chutneys, sauces, raitas and side vegetables that enhance the flavour of the entree or can even save the day, if disaster strikes the main attraction !
So today's ode is to the wonderful array of side dishes that any cook would gladly have in his/her recipe collection - Gojjus or chutneys.
I love gojjus, the ones that I have had till now have always had a wonderful balance of tartness and sweetness, which makes them suitable with bread, dosas, chapaties and even rice ! I got this recipe of raw mango gojju from my mom. She made it quite frequently when mangoes were in season. Unlike in the US where you can generally get mangoes all round the year, we would have to impatiently wait for the mango season in India. That was the time when mangoes of all shapes, colours and ripeness levels could be seen on every nook, corner and stall.
Made with sour mangoes and fresh succulent coconut, this side dish is worthy of any Indian menu.

Maavinkaayi Gojju / Raw Mango Gojju

Ingredients:

1/2 raw mango
1/2 C fresh coconut, grated.
(you can also use frozen coconut, just thaw and warm in the microwave before grinding)
2 green chillies
1/2 inch fresh ginger (optional)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar

For tempering:

1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 -3 curry leaves
generous pinch of asafoetida

Method:
1. Peel the raw mango and dice into small pieces
2. Grind to a coarse paste along with the coconut, green chillies, ginger (if using), salt and sugar.
3. Transfer the gojju into a serving bowl.
4. For the tempering, heat the oil in a small wok, add the urad dal and the mustard seeds. Fry until the urad dals turns golden brown and the mustard seeds splutter. Add the curry leaves. Take off from heat, add the asafoetida and mix well.
5. Pour the tempering over the gojju and mix well.

This gojju makes a delicious accompaniment to various dishes such as idlis, dosas, even chapaties, bread and rice. With few ingredients and uncomplicated steps, you will have a
dish that you can easily whip up ! Try it !!