Sumee's Culinary Bites: French beans with Mushroom

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Beans is one of the main sides that is served during thanksgiving. But I am making my beans special with mushrooms. This is a variation to my previous preparation of French beans with Artichoke. Mushroom and beans combination turned out to be great and very different in taste. Whenever I have prepared this it was instant hit. Espcially for the fact that the green beans have their color intact. This what I am taking for thanksgiving potluck at our friend's place today. So enjoy the holiday, count your blessings and show your gratitude to your loved ones. :o)

Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 5 min. | Cooking Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

French beans – 1 Lb. (About 2 ½ cups)
Mushrooms – 3 Lb. (About 4 cups when chopped)
Onion – 1 medium (About 1 cup. Finely chopped)
Garlic – 1 tbsp. (Finely chopped)
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp.
Olive Oil – 2 tsp.
Salt – to taste

For Sauce -

Chinese Chili Garlic Sauce – 1 tbsp. (or more if you like it hot :o))
Lime juice - 1 tbsp.
Besan/ Chick Peas flour – 2 tbsp.
Tomato Paste (1 tbsp.)/ Tomato Ketchup – 2 tbsp.

Method of Preparation:

Prepare Beans -

~ Heat a pot of water with salt to bring it to boil (around 4 cups).

~ Wash and trim the ends of beans. Cut them two inch long.

~ Put them in the boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes on high. (Until the raw smell of the beans goes away and little froth starts around the beans and settle in 2 minutes.) Do not overcook and make the beans soggy.

~ Drain the water and immediately rinse the beans with a cup of cold water. Keep it aside.

Prepare Mushroom –

~ Wipe and clean mushroom with a wet paper towel. (You can wash, but be sure to dry them well; they soak quite a bit of water when washed)

~ Discard the hard stem part and chop mushrooms in chunks.

~ Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and garlic.

~ Once they splutter, add Onion and fry until translucent.

~ Increase the heat and add mushrooms. Fry for few minutes on high, (about 5 min.) reduce the heat and cook mushroom till half done.

~ In a small bowl add everything that’s under sauce, and mix to make a paste. If required add very little water.

~ Make space in the middle of the pan between the mushrooms and add the sauce that you prepared in above step. Cook the sauce while constantly stirring.

~ Mix it all up with mushrooms.

~ Once cooked mushrooms reduce in size, so now add the salt and switch off the heat.

Putting it all together –

In a serving dish, place beans at the bottom. Pour hot mushroom gravy on top. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and leave it for atleast 15 minutes or until ready to serve. Mix it up and serve it warm.