Cluster beans with red potatoes

Please accept my profuse apologies for not posting for so long.  My poor, neglected blog has not been the focus of my attention for some time but rest assured it isn't dead.

When I first started this site, my intention was to document and share my family's recipes and prevent them from being lost in time.  I'm absolutely delighted to say that it has become so much more than that and not only has it developed my love of cooking (resulting in me doing my Cordon Bleu diploma last year) but has directly led to me making lots of new friends from around the world.

One such friend is Chetan who sent me this recipe for cluster beans with red potatoes.  Cluster beans (aka guar or guvar beans) have featured on this site previously in my mum's recipe for cluster beans with dumplings but Chetan's dish is entirely different in terms of both texture and flavour.  I've used Roseval potatoes as they have a delicate nutty flavour but any small red or white potato would be fine.



Serves 2 people as a main course  

Ingredients

• 175 grams cluster beans - topped, tailed and cut into bite sized pieces.  Note:  These should be a lime green colour and long, thin and tender.  If they are dark green they will be overripe.  If they are thick and knobbly they will contain seeds.  You can still use thick cluster beans but they will probably required destringing.
• 5 small red potatoes (preferably Roseval) - chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3-5 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tomato - finely chopped
• 2 green chillies - finely chopped
• 5 grams ginger - finely chopped or grated
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1.5 teaspoons coriander-cumin powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 10 grams coriander - chopped

Method

1. Place the chopped cluster beans and potatoes into boiling water and cook for ten minutes.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a medium sized pan.
3. Once hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida and leave to cook until the seeds start popping.
4. Carefully add the tomatoes and green chillies (the water from the tomatoes will make the oil spit).  Stir and leave to cook for a minute or two.
5. Now add the ginger to the mixture and stir again.
6. Now add the turmeric, coriander-cumin powder and salt.  Stir and cook on a low heat until the beans and potatoes have had their time.
7. Once the beans and potatoes are ready, drain them in a colander.
8. Add the beans, potatoes and lime juice to the tomato mixture.  Stir well and cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat with the lid on the pan.  Stir occasionally.
9. Now take the pan off the heat, add the chopped coriander and serve with chapatis and a salad.