• 1 1/2 lb. Green beans (Trim the ends and then cut the beans in half crosswise.)
• 1 1/2" long and Fresh ginger (Peel and chop coarsely.) 1" thick piece
• 10 cloves Garlic peeled
• 1 cup Water
• 4 tblsp Vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoon Whole cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoon Ground coriander seeds
• 2 medium Tomatoes, peeled (put tomatoes in very hot water for a few seconds, peel off the skin and finely chop.)
• to taste Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 tblsp Lemon juice (or to taste)

This recipe is mostly Madhur Jaffrey's, although I don't follow it to the letter when I cook anymore. I like to serve the beans a little crunchier than you would find in an indian home, so I don't cook it as much in the end. It definitely warrants experimentation. This recipe is guaranteed to spice up an ordinary meal.

Put ginger and garlic into a food processor and add 1/2 cup water. Blend until fairly smooth.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy saucepan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Stir for half a minute. Pour in the ginger-garlic paste. Stir and cook for about two minutes. Put in the coriander and stir a few times.

Put in the chopped tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes while mashing the tomato pieces with the back of a slotted spoon. Put in the beans and salt and one cup of water and simmer them. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the beans are tender.

Remove the cover. Add the lemon juice and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.

Turn up the heat and boil away the remaining liquid, stirring the beans gently as you do so.

Serves: