Green Bean Curry With Peanuts

Submitted by Andtototoo

"A dry curry from south India. I have made this curry for over 30 years. It has evolved slightly, but is still a quick meal to put together."

 

• Ready In: 25mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon split white Urad Dal
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 dried red chilies
• 1 lb green beans
• 1⁄4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2⁄3 cup roasted peanuts

directions

1. Cut the green beans into bite-size pieces and set aside.
2. In a large nonstick frying pan put the oil, the black/brown mustard seeds, the urad dal (dal means lentil in Hindi), cumin seeds and the dried red chilies (each chili broken into 3-4 pieces). These are the small dried chilies that you can buy at Indian spice stores, not the dried red chilies that you use in Mexican cooking.
3. Heat the oil and spices over high heat, and cook until the mustard seeds have started popping and the dal is light brown (stir the spices with a spatula, or tilt the pan back and forth for even cooking of the spices).
4. Add the green beans and cook them for a few minutes, flipping them with a spatula. The green beans taste great if they get a few brown spots, but that is not absolutely necessary.
5. Stir in the asafoetida (also known as hing), the turmeric if you are using it, and the salt.
6. Add the water, cover the frying pan with a lid, reduce the heat slightly, and cook until the green beans are just tender. (If needed, you may add more water to finish cooking the green beans.).
7. Once the green beans are cooked, and the water has evaporated, remove the lid and stir in the roasted peanuts. Check for salt.
8. Serve with rice.
9. Variations: Green beans go well with sesame seeds. If desired, take 1-2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds and coarsely grind them. Add them to the green beans when you add the peanuts. You may reduce the amount of green beans and add one peeled and diced potato.