Simple every day food

Simple everyday food.
Long beans (barbati, I wonder what are these called in other languages) cooked with onions, garlic and potatoes, along with red lentils (masoor dal). Serve with cumin flavored rice or just plain rice, roti and a side salad.

Ingredients

(Long beans)

2 cups chopped long beans (should be tender)

1 small red onion chopped

1 fat garlic clove (minced)

1 medium potato (cubed)

a few curry leaves

mustard and cumin seeds (one teaspoon)

1 green chilli (chopped)

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1tsp coriander cumin powder

salt to taste

Method

Heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. As they splutter drop the chopped onion, garlic, curry leaves, and green chilli. Cook till the onion start wilting. Add the turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder and red chilli powder. Now add the chopped long beans and potatoes. Mix everything well. Cover and cook till the potatoes are soft and the beans are cooked through.

(For the dal)

1 cup masoor dal

 (about 3 cups water)

1/4 cup chana dal

2 cloves garlic

1 tomato

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida 

1tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 teaspoons ghee 

juice of half a lemon

 chopped cilantro

Method

Wash the lentils and soak it in water for half and hour. Add salt and turmeric and boil it till well done.  I use a pressure cooker (3 whistles). Mix the cooked lentils well. Mash a little if needed and if it is too thick then add a little water. Grate or finely chop the tomato and add to the lentils.  Now prepare the tempering by heating ghee. Drop the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Now add minced garlic, asafoetida, and red chilli powder. Pour this over the lentils and cover. Just before serving add the lemon juice and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.