More about a light curry lunch

To balance the piquancy of the pork curry (previous post) cooked with fresh ginger and fresh lime, here are two quick and easy vegetable dishes made with the ‘deeper’ flavour of dark dry spice.

GREEN BEANS WITH GINGER


Quick and easy. Time: 5 minutes preparation; 5 minutes to cook.
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
250 gms fresh long beans - tails cut off, chopped in half
3 cm piece of fresh young root ginger, finely cut into straws
2 tsps(10ml) oil
2 tspsgaram masala or ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsps fish sauce (or ¼ teaspoon salt)
1 tbs (20 ml) water


1. Fry oil, spice, ginger and garlic for 1 minute on medium heat, stirring so spice does not burn.
2. Add beans, water and fish sauce. Mix well to coat with spice. Put the lid on and steam for 2 minutes only to heat the beans through. Remove from heat.

SPICY EGGPLANT


Quick and easy. 
Time: 5 minutes to prepare; 5 minutes to cook.
Serves: 4 - 6

Dice 2 cloves garlic, and fry in a little oil with 1 teaspoon mixed spice or ground coriander. Quickly chop medium eggplant into 2 - 3 cm cubes. Add to pan and coat with spice.

Add just enough water to create steam (about ¼ cup). Cover and cook 2 - 4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Tip into serving bowl.

Now, all done and prepared. Just need to put the chopping boards and pans in the dishwasher, wipe the benches, pop the pappadums in the microwave and greet my clients!

Finished lunch tastes - and looks - amazing!

Compiled by two frogs.