Asian Long Beans with Mustard

One of the delights of living in a diverse community is the variety of produce that's available.  Summer is prime green bean season, and the asian long bean (yard long beans) is variety that I love.  You can certainly substitute it for regular green beans in the recipes you love.  I'm cooking them with a little mustard seed and finishing with mustard oil for a nice, light summer version with a little zing.  This is so easy and fast your kitchen have doesn't have time to heat up.  This recipe is husband approved; it's been requested and prepared for the last several weeks when I can get my hands on the beans!

From a nutrition standpoint, Asian long beans are a rich source of vitamins A,C, calcium and fiber.  The mustard adds some anti-inflammatory properties as well.  The extra virgin olive oil is a healthy mono-unsaturated fat.

You can find black mustard seed and mustard oil at most Asian markets or online.

RECIPE: Asian Long Beans with Mustard Seed and Oil

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 cups chopped long beans (about 1/2 inch pieces)
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard oil

PROCESS

1. Heat mustard seeds in oil until they start to pop
2. Add the beans, salt and sugar.  Toss to mix and cover the beans for 2-3 minutes until tender.
3. Drizzle the mustard oil over, toss and enjoy.

At The Market: Shrimp with Green Beans, Potatoes and Mustard Seed

The summer heat has been relentless and many of the gentler, more tender crops have dried up. We've also had a drenching rain that caused flooding over the July 4th holiday. In Houston, there's been some PTSD as last year's Hurricane Harvey left us damaged and bruised.  The wounds have not yet healed and many people still have not been able to rebuild their lives.  It's a tough time for farmers, so it's even more important to support them. Whatever is available at their stands will be what I will cook with.  As I live close to the Gulf of Mexico, I'm fortunate to have Lil Emma's Seafood bringing fresh shrimp that were swimming just a few hours earlier right to my farmers' market. With a few potatoes, green beans and a little help from the pantry, a quick, easy and nutritious dish came together.

Using mustard seeds and mustard oil give the shrimp a lovely warm flavor without too much sharpness. Along with the turmeric, mustard is an anti-inflammatory agent in Ayurvedic teachings. I like the flavor of green chilies, but feel free to leave them out or use ground cayenne.

Shrimp are high in cholesterol, but are an excellent source of protein, magnesium and some calcium.  Potatoes are rich in Vitamins C, B6, magnesium, iron and fiber. Green beans are rich in Vitamins A, C, B6, folic acid,  and the minerals calcium, iron and copper.  The fresher the vegetables, the more nutrition they contain as many vitamins, especially Vitamin C, degrade rapidly with storage.  

Today, I made basmati rice and Indian style lentils/daal with zucchini and tomatoes (in plentiful supply right now) to go along with the shrimp. As always, the vegetable component of the meal is the largest, with the meat, in this case shrimp, playing a special guest starring role, in small quantities. You can also serve this with bread, or just a fork.

If you don't have fresh shrimp on hand, frozen will be fine. Thaw them slowly in a few changes of cool water.

RECIPE: Shrimp with Green Beans, Potatoes and Mustard Seed

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups potatoes, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 cups chopped green beans, 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 Tablespoon black mustard seeds
• 1-2 green chilies, split halfway (Serrano, jalapeño) or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cane sugar
• Juice of 1/2 small lemon, about 1 Tablespoon
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard oil

PROCESS

1. Heat mustard seeds  and chilies (if using) in oil until the seeds start to pop.
2. Add potatoes, chilies  and spices. Sauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes are just tender, but not soft.
4. Add the green beans, sautéed for 1-2 minutes and food covered for about another 2 minutes. They should remain undercooked as they will cook further with the shrimp.
5. Add the shrimp, and sautéed until cooked through. The time will depend on the size of your shrimp.
6. Drizzle the mustard oil over and toss.

Serves 4

Tricolor Vegetables w Bengali 5 Spice (panch phoran)

One of the many joys of seasonal cooking is embracing doing the best with what you’ve got. Such is my journey with purple cabbage. I don’t give it much thought at all. I look at it and immediately think cole slaw.  But Sarment, one of the farmers I visit every week knowing everything he grows is delicious, had several adorable little purple cabbages a few weeks ago. He also had gorgeous Swiss chard and the usual divine sweet potatoes. These items came home with me and became the inspiration for this dish. 

I have been making this regularly and eating it with a side of Greek yogurt as lunch. It’s lovely to look at, and the purple cabbage retains its color and crunch to balance against the gently wilted chard and creamy sweet potatoes. Everyone, especially children, are always interested in this dish. It’s appealing.

I have used an Indian spice mix here as it is round in taste, flavorful, mild and compliments the vegetables. It’s a particularly good complement to cabbage. Traditionally used in the Indian state of Bengal, panch (five) phoran (whole spice) is a mix containing fennel, nigella(onion seeds), mustard, fenugreek and cumin. It is used in a old vegetable dish popular in Bengali households called chachori, where no part of any vegetable is wasted. This tradition is being slowly lost in favor of more sophisticated foods, but it’s too delicious not to rescue.  You can also use coriander in place of the cumin.  You can make your own (equal parts of each) or buy it online.  Spices have medicinal and health properties that have been studied in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. This blend contains spices that act as anti-oxidants and are believed to reduce inflammation. 

Something this beautiful, easy and delicious makes cooking a delight. Serve it as a side dish, eat with a piece of bread, a small bowl of rice, or with yogurt (like me).  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

RECIPE: Tricolor Vegetables with Bengali 5 Spice

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tsp panch phoran
• 1 Tsp expeller pressed canola
• 3C chopped sweet potatoes
• 3C chopped purple cabbage
• 1 C chopped Chard stems
• 4C chopped Chard leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric

PROCESS

1. Heat spices in the pan slowly with oil until the mustard seeds just start to pop.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and remaining spices and sauté for 2-3 minutes, covering occasionally.
3. Add the cabbage, toss, and cook covered for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add chard stems and cook covered 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the chard leaves and toss to gently wilt.  

Adjust seasonings and enjoy.   Serves 4.

Step 1

Heat spices in the pan slowly with oil until the mustard seeds just start to pop.

Step 2

Add the sweet potatoes and remaining spices and sauté for 2-3 minutes, covering occasionally.

Step 3

Add the cabbage, toss, and cook covered for 3-4 minutes.

Step 4

Add chard stems and cook covered 3-4 minutes.

Step 5

Add the chard leaves and toss to gently wilt.