Veg Indian Recipes

French Beans are one of the most commonly eaten green beans in India. Most Indian households make french beans as a dry vegetable either with cubed potatoes or without them. This French Beans recipe is a new curry style recipe which is rich with coconut milk and cashew paste. It can be had with Indian breads like Roti, Paratha, or over rice. I am sure your family and friends will be pleasantly surprised by this French Beans recipe!

French Green Beans in Coconut and Cashewnut Masala (Indian Style)

Ingredients

Serves 4

500 grams French Beans (chopped into small pieces).
2 Big Onions - 100 grams (Grinded or blended to a paste with a little water).
1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste.
3 Big Tomatoes - 200 grams (Grinded or blended to a paste with a little water).
Thick Coconut Milk - 100 ml. (You can substitute with 200 grams fresh grated coconut).
Cashewnuts - 50 grams (Boiled in a little water, and grinded to a paste).
1 Large Bay Leaf.
2 Teaspoons Indian Garam Masala Powder.
1/2 Teaspoon Turmuric Powder.
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder.
100 ml Cooking Oil.
Salt to taste.

Method

In a pot of boiling water, cook the chopped french beans till they are al-dente (just under cooked). Drain and cool immediately under running cold water. Keep aside. This will retain the fresh green color of the french beans. You may also add a little baking soda to the boiling water to help retain the color of the french beans.

Now in a deep frying pan or wok, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, slip in the Bay Leaf. Now add the onion paste. Keep stirring the paste till it starts to turn pink. Now add the Ginger Garlic paste and stir till the paste turns light brown. Add the tomato paste and cook. Keep stirring so that the paste does not stick to the bottom of the pan. When the tomato paste is well cooked and the oil starts to leave the sides of the pan, add the Garam Masala Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Turmuric powder. Stir for a minute and add the cashewnut paste and the coconut milk. Keep stirring and cook for another minute or till the paste is well cooked, and starts to leave oil.

Now to this gravy or masala, add the cooked french beans and stir thouroughly. Cook the French beans in the masala for 3 minutes, stirring in between. Add a little water if the curry starts t stick to the bottom of the pan. When the masala seems to permeate the french beans, add 1 cup of water and boil for a minute. Add salt to taste. Remove to a serving dish. Your French Beans in Coconut and Cashewnut Masala is ready.

To Serve
Garnish the dish with slices of tomatoes and a sprig of coriander or cilantro. Serve hot with Bread or Indian breads like Chapati, Paratha, Naan or Kulchas. Can also be served as a curry with Rice.

Mushrooms, also known as Khumb or Dhingri in India are very rarely used in everyday Indian cooking. Matar Mushroom (Peas Mushroom Curry) is the most popular Mushroom curry dish you will encounter in Indian restaurants. And there are people who will die for their Matar Mushroom! After the ubiquitious Paneer Butter Masala, Matar Mushroom ar probably the most popular vegetarian curry dish on any Indian restaurant's menu. Trust me, if you like Mushrooms, Matar Mushroom is one Indian curry you should not miss. So without any further ado, let's get down to the recipe.

Matar Mushroom/Khumb Mushroom (Peas and Mushroom in a spicy Indian gravy)

Ingredients: - Serves 4

200 grams Peas (Fresh or frozen)
200 grams Button Mushroom (Khumb/Dhingri - Indian)
2 Large Onions (Ground to a paste)
4 Large Tomatoes (Blended to a paste)
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
50 grams nut paste (Cashew nuts preferably, boiled for 5 minutes and ground to a paste)
1 Large Bay Leaf (Tez Patta - Indian)
3-4 Cloves (Laung - Indian)
1-2 Green Cardamom (Hari Elaichi- Indian)
2 Teaspoons Garam Masala (Readymade Indian Curry Powder, preferably 'Badshah' or 'Everest' brand)
3 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the peas and boil in water for 5 minutes or till they are cooked. Drain and keep aside. Blanch the mushrooms in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and keep aside.

Now in a wok or deep pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the Bay Leaf, Cloves and Cardamoms. Immediately afterwards, add the onion paste, Ginger Garlic Paste and the Cashewnut paste. Keep stirring so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook till the paste is pink/light -brown and cooked. Now stir in the Tomato paste and cook till the tomato paste is cooked and the oil starts appearing over the gravy. Keep stirring so that the gravy does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Now add the Garam Masala and let it flavor the gravy.

A little secret; for a unique restaurant style taste, I prefer to use 'Badshah' brand 'Nawabi Meat Masala', instead of the Garam Masala. If you want the gravy to be a little more spicy, you can add some red chilli powder at this stage. Now add the cooked peas and blanched Button Mushrooms to the gravy and cover for 2 minutes. Your Matar Mushroom is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve hot with Tandoori Roti, Naan, Chapati, Paratha, Bread or with Rice.

A 'Kadhi' is basically a bland Indian curry or gravy primarily consisting of a yoghurt and water base thickened with gram flour. Various herbs and spices are added to the 'Kadhi' to give it a very distinct flavour.

Almost all regions in India have their own variant of the 'Kadhi'. In North India, the 'Kadhi' has gram flour ' onion pakodas' (onion fritters or dumplings) added to make a more hearty kadhi. The 'Sindhi'community has their own version of the kadhi which does not have yoghurt at all, but uses tamarind pulp to give the kadhi a sour taste. Gujarat is a state in West India where kadhi is an important part of the everyday meal. The 'Gujarati Kadhi' has a little sweet and sour taste and is very simple to make. It goes great served piping hot over plain boiled rice.

Gujarati Kadhi

Ingredients:

2 cups Youghurt (preferably a little sour)
5 cups water
2 teaspoons Gram flour (Besan)
1 teaspoon Ginger-Chilli paste (can be made at home; pound together 1 inch piece of ginger with 2 green chillies)
5-8 Curry leaves (or 1 stalk)
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rye - Indian)
1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Methi Daana)
1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (Heeng)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
2 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon Sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped Coriander leaves
1 tablespoon Oil or Clarified Butter(Ghee - for tempering)

Method:

In a pot, beat together the yoghurt, gram flour and water to form a smooth gravy. Take care to see that no lumps are formed. To this mixture add the ginger-chilli paste.

Now heat the oil in a pot. Add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to sputter, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour this tempering over the yoghurt -gram flour curry (kadhi). Bring the kadhi to boil, stirring continously so that it does not boil over. Add salt and sugar to taste. Boil the kadhi for 3-4 minutes so that the gram flour in the kadhi is cooked and does not have a raw taste. The kadhi should have the consistency of a thick soup. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot over plain boiled rice or with Roti or Chapati (Indian Bread). Can also be had by itself as a hot soup.