Green Beans with Mustard Seeds & Almonds

This preparation of succulent green beans is typical of Bengal. The selection of ingredients and their chopping, Roasting and grinding is a well-defined ritual in Bengal. Vegetables are chosen for their freshness, color, texture and shape. Use the most tender beans for this dish and try serving it with Indian couscous. This recipe copyright 1995 by Culinary Alchemy, Inc.

• 1 pound green beans, broken into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kalonji seeds
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1/4 medium onion, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• salt to taste

Garnish:

• 3 Tablespoons blanched slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the beans and bring to a boil. Add the beans and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Boil for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the kalonji and mustard seeds, stir until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute until it begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add the cayenne and turmeric, stir a few times, add the green beans and lemon juice. Stir and cook until the beans are heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the black pepper and salt to taste.

Serve garnished with almonds.

Pea, Fetta and Mint salad

Ingredients

• 7 ounces fresh shelled peas
• Water, as needed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 1/4 ounces shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 large handful fresh mint leaves
• 1 3/4 ounces snow pea leaves or baby English spinach
• 2 3/4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Blanch the peas in the boiling water until they are just tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Refresh immediately by plunging them into a bowl of cold water. Drain and reserve the peas.

In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar and honey, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

In a large salad bowl, mix the peas, onions, pistachios, and pour over the dressing. Add the mint and snow pea leaves, and gently toss to coat with dressing. Top the salad with the feta cheese just before serving.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Ingredients : *Paneer cubes 15-20 . Onion chopped 1 No. Garlic clove Chopped. 2 Nos Salt To taste Coriander Powder 1 Tsp. Cumin Powder 1 Tsp. Sugar 1/4 Tsp. Oil 1 Tsp. For Gravy : Spinach 1 bunch. Ginger small Piece 1. Cinanamon small stick 1. Green Serrano chillies 2 Nos or to Taste. Onion small Chopped 1 No. Tomato 1 NO For Garnish : Grated Cheese 1 Tbsp. Cream 1 Tbsp or To Taste Method Wash & drain the water from Spinach. Chop them coarsely. In a pan bring to boil or microwave on high for 8 minutes all the ingredients for gravy. Cool & grind them coarsely to Paste. In the same pan heat the oil, fry onions till translucent. Add Garlic & fry briefly. mix all the spice powders & stir. Add the Spinach Paste & let cook for a couple of minutes till combined. Add the Paneer cubes cook for 2 minutes & switch off the flame.Adjust the seasonings & Serve Garnished with Cream & Grated Cheese on top. *Paneer these days is readily available in all Indian Grocery stores. or substitute with firm Tofu which is more healthier.

Prawn Curry Recipe

By kashifmahmood

This is a spicy prawn curry recipe having lots of flavors and is a very popular curry in South Asian Cuisine, particularly Indian cuisine. This prawn curry is made in a very similar fashion in which other curries are made. Some people might not admire the use the ginger paste in this recipe as they like it more with chicken or beef curry but in this prawn curry recipe, it is up to the cook whether he/she uses it or not. This is because some people do not like ginger in most of the seafood recipes. Continue reading below to find out what it requires and how the this spicy prawn curry is prepared.

Recipe Stats:

• Preparation time : 40 minutes
• Serves : 6 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 kg medium size prawns (clean them and cut their tails)
• 1/2 kg tomatoes
• 4 medium size onions (cut in julienne)
• 3 potatoes (cut in small cubes)
• 2 green cardamom
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp mix spice powder (garam masala)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg and mace powder
• 1 cup oil

Cooking Instructions:

1. Take a tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute prawns on medium high flame for 2 minutes only so that their water dries out and they turn pink in color. Don't try to cook prawns for more than that because they will become very hard like rubber and will give you a hard time chewing them.
2. In a sauce pan, heat the remaining oil and fry onions on high flame for 8-10 minutes and stir constantly while frying until they become light golden in color.
3. When onions have been fried, add tomato pieces, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. Cover the pan and cook them on medium flame until they all mix together and form a curry. It takes at least 10 - 15 minutes for the curry to be cooked.
4. When curry becomes red in color and onions gets soft, add potato pieces with one cup of water and let them cook for 15 minutes until potato becomes tender.
5. After that uncover the pan and cook on high flame so that oil starts to separate from the gravy. Now its time to add rest of spices; cumin powder, black pepper powder, mix spice powder and nutmeg and mace powder.
6. In the end, add fried prawn pieces and sprinkle some coriander leaves. Mix them together and and then cover the pan. Just cook for a minute on very low flame.