Spicy Indian Green Beans

I had some green beans left over after making 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.

Spiced Green Beans

2 tablespoons of ghee, or a combination of oil and butter
1 tablespoon of finely chopped or grated ginger
2 finely diced green or red chillies
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
2 large bunches of green beans
1/2 cup of coconut milk or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley or coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. When it is hot, stir-fry the ginger, chillies, garlic and seeds for about 2 minutes.

Add the beans and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Next add the coconut or yogurt, cook, stirring for about 6 minutes or until the liquid has mostly evaporated.

Just before serving, add the coriander or parsley leaves. Serve hot.