This is like a cooked salad, quick and healthy recipe for any season. Rather a fusion between Indian and Thai cooking. But who knows what influences played in the past upon what is known to be 'Indian' and 'Thai' today.
Ingredients:
150 gm French beans
3/4 cup tender coconut paste
1 large red chilli (Kashmir chilli if you like)
10-12 black pepper corns (depends upon how much heat is desired and how much the peppers offer)
2 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp shredded ginger, optional
Salt and sugar
Blanche beans, I prefer to leave them with a bit of a crunch. Grind the tender coconut just about in a food processor if you are using pieces. Little bits might remain but they will be very soft and unobtrusive. Blending it too much will make it watery in consistency.
Shred the lemon and ginger for garnish. Deseed chilli and coarsely crush the pepper corns.
Heat the cooking oil in a pan and tip the pepper and chilli in it. Toss well. Chilli fries in a few seconds, wait until the oil has a reddish tinge but taking care to not let the chilli burn on any side.
Add beans, stir for a minute and coat them with the oil. Add salt to your taste. Stir in the tender coconut, mix well. Add sugar (brown sugar will also go well), lemon zest and shredded ginger if you are using it.
Switch off the heat within a minute of adding the garnish. Add some lemon juice if preferred.
This will go well as a side. Boiled potatoes and carrots could also be added or used instead of the beans. Fish or chicken? Might need a little marination beforehand?
