French Beans and Snake Gourd Vegetable (Maharashtrian Style)
Ingredients:
200gms French beans; strings removed and chopped into small pieces,
125gms padwal (snake gourd); scraped, cleaned, cut lengthwise into two and chopped into medium thin slices,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai),
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera),
A pinch of asafoetida,
A pinch of turmeric powder,
1 green chilli; finely chopped,
A lemon-size ball of tamarind; soaked into warm water and pulp removed,
1 tsp jaggery (gur),
1 tsp goda/kala masala (Maharashtrian mix spice powder)*,
Salt to taste,
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish,
2-3 tbsp fresh grated coconut,
Oil for tempering.
Method:
Heat around 1 tbsp oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, reduce the flame, add cumin, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Then add beans, stir, cover and cook on low-medium flame until they are tender. Uncover and stir occasionally. Add sliced snake gourd, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until gourd is cooked. Then add tamarind pulp, jaggery, goda masala, salt and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh coconut.
* If you do not have Maharashtrian Goda/Kala Masala, you can use garam masala. But I suggest you to stock this masala, it gives a unique taste to most of your vegetables and dals.
