Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Mixed Beans and Poblano Peppers

Dieting, Carbs and Beans
Happy to announce that I have sustained my diet for a month now so the New Year resolution still holds. Thought it would be easy(!!??) to cut down the carbs and increase protein intake, easier said than done. Increase meat/poultry/fish, but eat them everyday nah! can't do that once a week is how much we can handle Non.Veg. So the next best alternative was to eat more beans and lentils. I usually buy beans that suits my fancy so there is always beans and more beans in the pantry. That is the long explaination to why there are so many bean recipes making their appearance.

If you have had your share of the Big Brother and Shilpa Shetty controversy skip the next paragraph and proceed to the recipe but you are welcome to read on...

Celebrity Big Brother and Undercooked Indian food
The sad part was the show and aftermath seemed to have taken over the front pages of all news while there are several important things begging for attention. Well actually that was not my main problem, mine was, one of the contestants on the show is supposed to have said that "Indians were thin becasue they undercooked their food" whatever that was supposed to mean. Anyway here I was thinking we overcooked our food!!


Mixed Beans with Poblano Peppers
On my recent grocery store visit I picked up the Pablano Peppers instead of the Green Bell Peppers because they looked fresher but now I am hooked I like their subtle spiciness more than the Bell Pepper sweetness. It added a whole new dimension to the Bean curry.



Ingredients

1. 3 Poblano Peppers deseeded and cut into strips.
2. 1 1/2 Cup Mixed Dry Beans (Green Peas, Norther Beans and Turtle Black Beans) soaked overnight and cooked for one whistle in a pressure cooker and drained.
3. 1 medium red onion chopped
4. 2 tbsp lemon juice
5. Seasonings curry leaves, cumin and mustard
7. 1tsp oil

Paste
1. 1 medium red onion (I used 1/2 red onion and 1/4 cup frozen small red onions)
2. 5 garlic cloves
3. 1 1/2" ginger piece
4. 1/4 cup corriander leaves
5. 3 green chillies
6. 1 tsp cumin powder
7. 1 tbsp corriander powder

Saute the above and blend into a paste

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan add the seasonings, cumin, curry leaves and mustard seeds
2. When the mustard starts to pop add the onions and fry till translucent
3. Add the poblano pepper strips and saute till they just start to change color
4. Add the cooked beans mix well.
5. Add the ground paste and about cup of water and salt
6. Cover the lid and cook for 5-8 minutes

Serve with brown rice or with chappathis.

20 comments:

  1. I see poblano peppers always but never bought them yet. Will try. Mixed beans look great.

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  2. Great recipe.Keep up the dieting!Good for you.Blogging makes me thinner!!I foget to eat!:D

    I always thought we Indians cook everything to death!Undercooked??Ingnorance is bliss for most of the the Brits!

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  3. Great recipe.Keep up the dieting!Good for you.Blogging makes me thinner!!I foget to eat!:D

    I always thought we Indians cook everything to death!Undercooked??Ingnorance is bliss for most of the the Brits!

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  4. You educate me so much with all your beans. That no carb diet is such a pain, it's really great that you stuck to it. I try a little during the week, but then I am hungry at lunch and again when I am back home, and just cannot live on poultry or fish. I try drinking a lot of dal though
    This weekend I am going to get some of the beans you mention.

    About blogger. How did you leave a comment on mine. I have been trying to access but everytime it disappoints me, I am unable to get the comments section at all :(

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  5. About the "Big Brother", did you finally realise what was the hue & cry all about ?
    I tried to trace the story a bit, but then gave up

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  6. About the "Big Brother", did you finally realise what was the hue & cry all about ?
    I tried to trace the story a bit, but then gave up

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  7. RP this was my first time buying Poblano peppers too. Give it a try.

    Asha I also follow your tip and eat oatmeal everyday keeps me filling, I eat it with yogurt and sometimes pickle. I agree with you totally we cook our food to death and that is why the undercooking comment made me want to laugh.

    Sandeepa, that is my problem too can't completely not eat rice, this is where the beans and lentils help. They have carbs aslo but are harder to digest I think and you get full quickly. This way my rice intake is reduced. A little bit of rice so don't crave for them.

    The Big Brother thing, some of the participants used racist remarks against Shilpa and the Indian community in Britian got very angry, so much brouhaha that they even talked about it in the Indian Parliment. Gordon Brown's (who I think is slated to take over from Tony Blair) visit to India was completely taken over by this controversy (What a waste!) Shilpa Shetty did in the end win the thing. This was a show which was fighting for viewership and this controvery propped it up.

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  8. Sandeepa I see that blogger has been giving problems with all the multiple comments. I am able to come to it without any problems though. Visited your comments section just now, seems fine.

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  9. hi isg
    recipe is graet..nice dish.
    normally indians only will cook the food properly..i thinkthat person who said it don't know about us..what do u say?

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  10. hello hello, please post pictures of your beans too for naive cooks like me...

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  11. Hi ISG -- I love poblanos! Great idea to use them in bean curry -- I will try this very soon. It looks delicious and with all that garlic in the paste -- yum! Congrats on sticking with your food plan -- I know how hard it is. I also know how healthy Indian food is -- I've lost 25 lbs since last summer, cooking and eating all these good things!

    Thanks for sharing :)

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  12. Repeating what Inji said
    Can you please post the photo of the beans you use ?

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  13. Never seen these, would love to try this with other pepper varieties ,hope it tastes as good as yours...Lovely Recipe:)

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  14. recipe looks delicious!!!thnx for leaving comment on my blog!!! i even thought tht how can i live in Japan(Land of rising Sun)...bcoz of their food habits...their culture ...their behaviour...but every thing went on smooth.Being a vegetarian...i found little bit diffiicult in the beggining ...but managed(by blogs;))!!!

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  15. That's a lovely combination. I like poblano peppers. Keep up the dieting ..

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  16. Hi Indo,
    Very innovative dish.. with lots of beans and without tomatoes.Haven't tried poblano peppers... will have to buy them next time .
    I too always thought that only Indians cook everything more and the people from most other countries eat undercooked(crunchy vegetables sauted in oil for a very few mins).!!!!!!

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  17. Hey, good going with the less carb diet! YOur bean & pepper curry looks delicious, ISG! I don't think if I've tried poblano peppers before. Will try it for sure now! :)

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  18. Hi, I just recently saw this recipe and I tried it out, for I have always wanted to cook with them, but never made much out of them except for using them in soups. This is a great dish, it came out really good. and I think the base masala paste is good too. Makes for a great taste without too much masala. Thanks for the recipe.

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  19. Krithika, I am glad you tried and liked the recipe. Moreover I do appreciate for taking the time to let me know.

    I did pay a visit to your website.

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