Green Beans with Coconut

Crunchy and spicy, and healthy too. What's not to like in this green beans recipe?

Ingredients:

2 lbs green beans chopped about 0.5cm length

1 c dried coconut 

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 in ginger grated

2-3 red chillies

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp haldi

2-3 meethi seeds

1 tsp saunf powder (or saunf seeds)

a pinch of asafoetida

red pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Chop the beans. Cover with salted water and microwave covered for about 6-7 minutes till the beans are just tender. I do this to speed up the cooking. You can just cook it entirely in the pan if you wish.
2. In a pan take about 1 tbsp oil and when its hot, add mustard seeds. Reduce heat and add jeera, hing, haldi, red chillies and methi. If you are using saunf seeds instead of powder, add them here. Throw in the ginger and fry it a bit
3. Add in half of the chopped onion and fry it around till transluscent. Do not let it brown.
4. Drain salt water from the beans, and add beans to the pan. If beans are chewy, cover a bit and let it cook. I don't like my beans cooked all the way through, and just cook enough to keep it cooked but crunchy.
5. Uncover the pan. Add the remaining half onion and dried coconut. Sprinkle saunf powder, some salt and red pepper to taste. Stir and its done!

This goes well with rotis for a meal. Or top it with sev and fresh dhaniya and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve it as a snack.

Banana Nut Bread

• 
  
• Not too sweet, nut flavored bread makes a perfect afternoon snack. It is filled with wholesome banana, nuts and some real good butter. Go liberal on the nuts, they taste super duper when baked in.
• 
  
• Slice as needed, since it tastes best when moist. I also like to warm it up a bit before serving.

2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (dark brown: white  3:1 ratio) (less if bananas are very sweet)
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing it well before adding the next. 
4. Stir in mashed banana.
5. Stir in dry sifted flour, salt and baking soda in three batches, mixing it well.
6. Stir in nuts. 
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
8. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. 
9. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture. 

• To vary the flavor, you can substitute a part of bananas with crushed pineapple (reduce sugar since pineapple is fairly sweet), or add in some grated orange peel to bring a hint of citrus-y flavor or a bit of cocoa to make it chocolatey.