Thursday, November 30, 2006

GREEN BEAN AND POTATO CURRY

OK, this was for lunch yesterday - served with a side salad only - made from scratch. I didn't have green beans in the fridge after all, so I substituted yellow wax beans and it turned out just fine :)

This is an easy fix, although it does take a few minutes for those vegetables to cook. It reheats very nicely the following day.

(If you’re really really in a hurry, you can use canned tomatoes (although they won’t look as pretty as the fresh sliced ones), canned or frozen green beans, and ginger and garlic out of a jar. The vegetables will take less time to cook, especdially if you cut the potatoes into a smaller dice. Making it from scratch, obviously, tastes nicer.)

GREEN BEAN AND POTATO CURRY (INDIA)

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp crushed red chilies - or use whole fresh ones, to taste
3 or 4 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp salt or to taste
1-1/2 tsp fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper - or to taste
1/2 lb fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
1-1/4 cups water
Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, finely chopped fresh green chilies

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the cumin seeds and mustard seds together with the chilies, stirring well. The seeds will start to pop - stand back! Quickly add the tomatoes (which will stop those seeds from flying out of the pan) and stir for about 3 minutes or so.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except for water and garnish, to the pan, stirring well for about five minutes.

Add the water and reduce the heat, simmering for 12 to 15 minutes or until everything is nicely tender but not mushy.

Turn out onto a platter, garnish, and serve with hot boiled rice.

Very easy and very good.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Small Beginnings

Herewith my first post!

If the messages which follow are mostly about food, then so be it; it's the way it's meant to be. If that happens, know that most things are going well and that our kitchen is a happy place. If from time to time other thoughts and ideas get mixed in, then take what you want from them and ignore the rest. Deal?

Thanks for listening :) And now to see what's for lunch today!!!

Affectionately,

'River'