Mung beans and rice with spicy greens and yogurt

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
¾ cup Green mung beans picked over, rinsed well
¼ cup Cilantro; finely chopped
3 mediums Garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Ginger; minced
1 teaspoon Garam masala
½ teaspoon Turmeric
¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons Ghee, melted butter or
2 cups Yogurt
3 larges Bunches spinach OR
2 bunches Mustard greens about 3 lbs thoroughly rinsed
1½ tablespoon Butter
1 Jalape¤o chile vegetable oil
1 medium Onion; finely diced
2 Jalape¤o chiles, seeded deribbed, finely diced
2 tablespoons Dill; chopped OR
1 teaspoon Dill seeds
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
1½ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Basmati rice finely diced
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ teaspoon Dill seeds
Salt
Juice of 2 limes
Chopped cilantro or dill to garnish

Directions

BEANS AND RICE

YOGURT AND GREENS

1. make the mung beans and rice: In a large bowl, cover the mung beans with water and let soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. Or, in a large saucepan, cover the beans with water and boil over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. Drain off the soaking liquid and rinse the beans well.

2. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the fresh cilantro with the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric and cayenne to make a rough paste. Stir in 1 tablespoon of water to thin it.

3. Heat the ghee in a large saucepan. Add the onion, jalape¤os, dill and cumin seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spice paste and cook for 3 minutes longer. Stir in the mung beans, salt and 3« cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the mung beans are tender but not mushy, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the yogurt and spicy greens: Put the yogurt in a fine stainless steel sieve set over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to let the whey drain. Discard the whey and transfer the yogurt to a bowl.

5. Trim off the spinach or mustard stems and coarsely chop the leaves. melt the butter in a large nonreactive skillet. Add the jalape¤o, cumin seeds and dill seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring briskly, until the cumin seeds start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, season with salt and cook until tender, stirring frequently so that the spices don't burn, about 2 minutes for spinach and 5 minutes for mustard greens. Stir in the lime juice.

6. To serve, spoon the mung beans and rice onto plates and top with the spicy cooked greens and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. Top with a generous dollop of yogurt and serve immediately, passing the remaining yogurt separately .

Food and Wine January 1995

Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 02-01-95

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