Masaledar Sem (Spicy Green Beans)

What you need:

1 1/2" piece ginger , peeled and chopped
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups water, divided
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons lemon juice

What you do:

1. 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 1/2 minute.
2. Pour in the ginger-garlic paste. Stir and cook for about 2 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
This recipe is mostly Madhur Jaffreys, 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. '

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