Garlicky Spicy Green Beans with Tomato
Submitted by LeeLeeG
Indian-style green beans with ginger-garlic paste, cumin seeds, dried red chili, coriander, and tomato. Vegan, gluten-free, and brimming with warm spice. Goes with everything.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minForget steamed green beans with butter. This is the Indian-style preparation that turns a humble vegetable into the most exciting thing on the plate. Whole cumin seeds bloom in hot oil, dried red chili goes in to release its heat, and a fresh ginger-garlic paste hits the pan and immediately fills the kitchen with that unmistakable South Asian aroma.
Ten cloves of garlic sounds like a lot, but pureed with ginger and cooked into the oil base, they melt into background depth rather than punching you in the face. Coriander follows for citrusy warmth, then chopped tomato breaks down into a quick masala that coats the cut beans.
Cutting the beans crosswise into ¼-inch pieces is the move. Small cuts mean more surface area for the spice paste to cling to, and faster, more even cooking.
The finishing flourishes matter: a generous squeeze of lemon juice for brightness, roasted cumin powder for smoky depth (different from the whole seeds you started with), and fresh black pepper. Boil off the remaining liquid so the beans glisten with the spiced oil, not swim in sauce.
Pro Tips
- Trim and cut beans before starting; the spice work moves fast.
- Watch the chili carefully when it darkens; it tips from fragrant to burnt in seconds.
- Mash the tomato with a slotted spoon as it cooks for an even sauce.
- Roasted cumin powder is different from raw ground cumin; toast whole seeds and grind, or buy pre-toasted.
- Pairs with basmati rice, naan, or as a side to dal.
Variations
- Sub long beans, French beans, or wax beans for the green beans.
- Add ½ teaspoon turmeric for color and earthiness.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro for extra freshness.
Ingredients
Directions
Trim the green beans and cut them crosswise at ¼ inch intervals.
Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric blender or food processor.
Add ⅓ of the water and blend until fairly smooth.
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy saucepan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the cumin seeds.
Five seconds later, put in the crushed chili.
As soon as it darkens, pour in the ginger-garlic paste.
Stir and cook for about a minute.
Put in the coriander. Stir a few times.
Now put in the chopped tomatoes.
Stir and cook for about 2 minutes, mashing up the tomato pieces with the back of a slotted spoon as you do so.
Put in the beans, salt and the remaining water.
Bring to simmer.
Cover, turn heat to low and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the beans are tender.
Remove the cover.
Add the lemon juice, roasted cumin, and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
Turn heat up and boil away all of the liquid, stirring the beans gently as you do so.
Comments
