Another Green Bean Recipe and Preparing for the Seasonal Transition

 It has been awhile since I posted tips or a recipe.  My husband and I were in New Hampshire for 3 weeks helping our daughter and her wife with their new baby!  We did some cooking, cleaning, taking care of their dog, and holding Aidan.  One of the dishes I prepared while there was the green bean dish I posted last month. 

 When we came home, all my garden green beans seemed to have ripened at once!  So below is another green bean dish, Green Beans Thoren.  The 2 ingredients that are usually only available at Indian grocery stores are fresh curry leaves and black mustard seeds. If you do not feel comfortable venturing out for them, just leave them out.  You can substitute a bay leaf or 2 for the curry leaves, but the flavor is different.  And if you live close to me, you can stop by for some mustard seeds.  The picture below has the dishes we made at a cooking workshop last summer, including Green Beans Thoren, on one of my wheel thrown plates.

 

Here also are a few tips as we prepare for the transition from summer (Pitta season) to fall (Vata season) to help us stay healthy.  As the summer winds down, our bodies get dryer, so make sure to keep hydrated to keep your digestion strong.  Drink cool drinks, but not icey.  Water and herbal teas are good, and continue eating juicy fruit that is available in the markets like watermelon,  peaches and fresh figs (my figs are finally ripening, yay!).  Early apples are now in season and they are great for helping our bodies expel the residue of summer heat as we make the seasonal transition.   

 

When you are feeling overheated, try sitali breathing, which helps cool our body and emotions.   The inhale is through a curled tongue (if you can’t curl your tongue, your tongue can be flat and close to your top teeth), at top of inhale you close your mouth and exhale gently and smoothly through your nostrils. Practice for at least a minute.   If you need more direction, feel free to contact me.

 

Stay tuned:  I am missing teaching my Cooking Classes and will be posting something soon about teaching on Zoom.

 

Green Beans Thoren

(adapted from Curried Flavors by Maya Kaimal MacMillan)

 

1 ½ lbs fresh green beans (or a combination of green and yellow), washed, trimmed and cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces

½ c grated unsweetened coconut, or more to taste

1 small fresh chili, cut in half

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife

Spice mixture:

          ½ t ground cumin

          ½ t ground coriander

          ¼ t ground turmeric

          pinch of cayenne

¾ t salt

¼ to ½ c water, as needed

 

1 t black mustard seeds

1 dried red pepper (optional)

10 curry leaves

2 T coconut oil or ghee

1 T long grain rice

 

In a small bowl combine the spice mixture, salt, coconut, chili, and crushed garlic with about ¼ c water, enough to make the mix stick together.  Add more if needed.

 

In a wok over high heat, heat mustard seeds, dried red pepper and curry leaves in the oil/ghee and cover.  When the mustard seeds start to pop, uncover and add the rice, stir for about 30 seconds. 

 

Add beans, turn the heat down to medium or medium high, and stir fry for several minutes.  Add 1 to 2 T of water, turn heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the beans are somewhat tender. 

 

Add the coconut-spice mixture, stir to mix, then cover again and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally until the beans are done.  Taste for salt.

Serves 6.