This rice dish – garlicky field beans and coconut rice- from my Mom’s old 1952 cookbook, is perfect for evening meal. Flavoured with onions, coconut, chilies, garlic (not browned) and cumin, it’s unusual and filling. Served with yoghurt or kadhi (tempered yoghurt), and a side of mango pickle, its perfect for a weekday meal or even weekend guests!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups sprouted field beans
- 2 cups rice
- 2 onions
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 4 dry red chilies
- 1 lime
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 piece of coconut
- ½ fresh coconut
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions:
- Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
- Clean the sprouted field beans.
- Take out the thick and thin milk out of the coconut.
- Chop the onions; grind the coconut pieces, chilies, and garlic and cumin seeds.
- Place a deep frying pan with oil on medium heat. When the oil is heated, season it with asafoetida and add chopped onions.
- Fry the oil for 2 minutes and add the ground paste.
- Fry for a little while, about 2 minutes, and add the field beans.
- Stir and put in rice and salt. Fry well and pour the thin coconut milk into a measuring cup.
- Add water so that the water and thin milk comes to 4 cups. Add coconut milk liquid to pan.
- Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat until rice is half cooked, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, pour the thick coconut milk, add sugar and squeeze the juice of the lime into pan.
- Lower heat, cover the pan and place live coal on top of the lid. The rice is ready in about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Critical Ingredients: Really any kinds of fresh beans will do. In a rush I would even used canned beans!
