How does one perfect a staple? Check out Swetha Sivakumar’s favourite recipe for aloo-beans
Getting beans right is tricky. They must be neither soggy nor chewy, yet infused with flavour. ‘I found a recipe that truly does it all,’ Sivakumar says.
Every adult who has ever tried to feed a child beans knows how important it is to get a recipe like this just right. Green beans in particular are tricky. Undercooked, they are fibrous and tough; overcooked or waterlogged, they lose nearly all flavour and texture.
The beauty of this recipe lies in how the beans are cooked. By covering the kadhai at timed intervals, steam is used to cook the beans but keep their form intact. Once they’re cooked, the dish is slow-roasted on the stove for a few minutes, for that delicious browning and a bit of crunch.
This is a recipe inspired by Sonia Barton. You can view the original here.
What I like most about it is that it has never failed me. Every detail lines up just right. So here goes.
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Serves: 3 or 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 250 gm green beans, chopped into 1.5-inch pieces
* 250 gm potatoes, chopped
* 2 tbsp oil
* 1 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* ⅛ tsp asafoetida (heeng)
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 tsp red chili powder
* 1 tsp coriander powder
* ½ tsp turmeric powder
* ½ tsp amchur (dry mango) powder
* 1 tsp chili flakes
* 1 tsp garam masala
* Salt to taste
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Method:
Heat the oil in a kadhai on medium flame.
Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Then add cumin seeds, asafoetida and chopped garlic. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.
Add potatoes and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, on medium flame.
Mix in green beans and stir well to coat with oil. Add salt to taste.
Cover pan and cook on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.
Uncover and add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder and amchur powder. Stir well.
Cover and cook on low flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chili flakes and garam masala. Stir and roast uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until the vegetables are slightly crisped.
Serve hot with roti, paratha, or as a side with dal and rice.
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