Eat-your-greens shak

A very quick shak to make as it uses frozen veg – however it’s full of flavour and goodness. If you are aghast at using frozen, fresh will do but just take slightly longer.  I like the vegetables to have some bite so tend to stir fry the shak until the veg are just tender.

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen broccoli
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbs groundnut oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green chili chopped finely
• 1 tsp salt (nimak)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (lal murcha)
• 1/2 tsp coriander cumin powder (dhanna jeeru)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (hurder)
• 4 curry leaves
• Lemon juice to taste (I find a good squeeze of a half sufficient)

Cooking

• In a large pan, heat oil over medium flame and throw in cumin.
• Once cumin are sizzling, add ginger, garlic and chili. Stir
• Add the vegetables, spices and curry leaves. Stir gently until the veg have softened slightly
• Add lemon juice to taste, stir and cook for further 2 minutes
• Serve with basmati rice.

Fine beans and potato curry

Sometimes it’s not possible to get to an Indian grocer so I have to make do with ingredients from the local supermarket. Today I was pleasantly surprised to see the local Co-op brim full of veggie treasures. I chose some fine green beans as I love to eat my greens! There must be loads of air miles on these as they come from Kenya (where I was born), but they are ever so tasty in a simple curry. The amounts of spice below can be increased if you fancy a hot curry but it really works with a mild amount of spice to let the flavour of the beans shine through. Also I use new potatoes as they hold their shape better but it’s fine to substitute Maris Piper or King Edwards – just cut them into bigger 2 inch cubes.

Ingredients:

• 340g fine beans – snap each bean into 3
• 450 g new potatoes – scrub and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbs ground nut oil
• 1 tsp mustard/fenugreek seeds (rye methi)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 green chili – chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic – chopped finely
• 1 inch ginger – grated
• 1  tsp chili powder (murcha)
• 1/4  tsp turmeric (hurder)
• 1/2  tsp coriander cumin powder (dhana jeeru)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tomatoes – chopped very finely
• 1 squeeze lemon

Cooking

• In a large pan, heat oil then add mustard and cumin seeds. Let them sizzle and pop
• Add the garlic, chili and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds (don’t let them get overcooked)
• Add the potatoes and stir fry for about 5 minutes. The edges of the potatoes should start going translucent
• Add green beans and stir thoroughly
• Add all the spices then give it all a good stir
• Pour in water – it should not be above the level of the veg
• Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer
• When you can push a knife through the potatoes, add the tomatoes and lemon juice. Cook for another 5 mins on low heat
• Garnish with coriander and serve with rice, rotlis or naan

P.S. These green beans go very well with broccoli and peas. My hubby isn’t keen on the latter and doesn’t know what he is missing. In the above, don’t add potatoes – add a head of broccoli (cut into spears) and a cup of frozen peas at the same time as you put in the beans. Cook until the veg are just turning tender which is usually very quick. Omit the tomatoes but add the lemon juice. Absolutely delicious.