Spicy Indian Green Beans

I had some green beans left over after making an Indian-style millet with browned onions and green beans the other night, so I cooked up a spicy side dish tonight that I haven't made in years, and after eating it, it won't be years before I make it again. This is a popular method of cooking vegetables in southern India. The crisp fried vegetables combined with the aromatic seed mixture give this simple dish a tantalizing crunch. You can leave out the fenugreek seeds if you don't have them on hand, though I recommend you visit an Indian grocery store and add them to the list of spices you have on hand.

Spicy Indian Green Beans

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on March 25, 2007 Crunchy fresh green beans gently fried with an aromatic blend of Indian seeds and simmered in coconut milk Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 tablespoons ghee or butter and oil 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced 2 fresh green or red chilies, seeded and minced 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 2 cups green beans, trimmed 1/2 cup coconut milk or plain yogurt 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped Instructions: Heat the ghee or butter and oil in a wok or large frying pan. When hot, add the ginger, chilies, garlic and seeds, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and stir for 5 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Now add the coconut milk or yogurt and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until the liquid has mostly evaporated. Just before serving, add the parsley or cilantro. Serve hot. Makes 4 side servings