Sautéed Five-Spice Bok Choy, Mushrooms, Peppers and Green Beans

Confronted the other day with the desire for an undemanding dinner, a crisper full of vegetables and the unexpected arrival of a package of fresh baby bok choy, I put together this simple Asian-style stir-fry. I don't very often cook with bok choy, but that should change soon after this dish — gently sautéed in sesame oil until tender but still crisp, bok choy has a wonderful fresh taste like green chard with a hint of cabbage. With fresh peppers, mushrooms and green beans, and seasoned with tamari sauce, toasted sesame seeds, fresh ginger and garlic and a hint of Chinese five-spice, this stir-fry is as satisfying as it is nourishing, and it's delightfully simple too. Try serving it with fresh cooked quinoa — the nutty flavor of this grain is a terrific accompaniment.

Chinese five-spice is a sweet, tangy and peppery blend of five spices used in many Asian recipes to enhance the flavor of vegetables and meats. Packaged varieties are easily available at any Asian grocer and many large supermarkets, but if you don't have it on hand you can substitute equal amounts or approximately equal-size pinches of ground star anise, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground fennel seeds and ground pepper (preferably Szechwan or white pepper).

Sautéed Five-Spice Bok Choy, Mushrooms, Peppers and Green Beans

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Asian Published on June 14, 2013 A simple, delicious and healthy breakfast, lunch or light dinner of fresh bok choy sautéed with ginger, garlic, green beans, mushrooms and peppers, tossed with toasted sesame seeds and seasoned with tamari sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) bok choy or baby bok choy 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup green beans, chopped 8 oz (225 g) button mushrooms, sliced 1/2 teaspoon five-spice 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional) 2 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste (optional) Instructions: Cut the base of the bok choy stems and discard. Thoroughly rinse the bok choy under cold running water to remove any dirt or grit. Cut the leaves from the stems and set aside. Chop the stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and toss over heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Return the pan to the stove and toss in the sesame oil, wait a few moments, then swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped bok choy stems, the white parts of the green onions, ginger, garlic, green beans and five-spice. Stir for 2 minutes then pour in the tamari and continue to stir for another 3 minutes or until the tamari has reduced. Now add the mushrooms, bok choy leaves, bell pepper and jalapeños, turn up the heat to medium-high, and continue to stir for another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened and the vegetables are tender. Now add the lime juice and toasted sesame oil if using, and stir for a few minutes over the heat to let the vegetables absorb the liquid and for the excess to cook off. Remove from heat, stir in the toasted sesame seeds and salt and black pepper to taste. Serve right away with a scattering of the green parts of the green onions and some rice on the side or with runny fried eggs. Makes 4 servings

Other stir-fry ideas you will enjoy:
Quinoa Breakfast Hash
Tempeh Breakfast Hash-Up
Mushroom and Jalapeño Breakfast Hash
Black and Green Bean Corn Hash

On the top of the reading stack: John Wyndham

Audio Accompaniment: silence

Potato and Green Bean Chaat Salad

I wasn't quite sure what to call this spiced up vegetable stir-fry, but it really is rather like a dry side salad, so a salad it is. I cooked up a three course Indian meal and this delightful little dish made up the vegetable component of the dinner. It's incredibly easy to make, and if you want to save time, roast or boil your potatoes the evening before or in the morning before you really get down to kitchen business.

Chaat — or chat — masala is essential in this dish, and can easily be made in your own kitchen (see this recipe here) or purchased from Indian grocery stores. Overall, this dish is rather mild on the heat side, making it a lovely and tempering accompaniment with some zesty flare to a spicy butter paneer masala. I also served a split mung and basmati rice kitcheree. It was a fine meal that was rather a homage to the culinary traditions of northern India. I'll be sharing the other components of the meal soon, so stay tuned.

This would be a good salad to take along for an outdoor outing as it contains no dairy and won't spoil as quickly in the hot sun as many other potato salads do that are dressed with mayonnaise or include cheese.

Indian-Style Potato and Green Bean Chaat Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on May 7, 2013 Simple, zesty and tangy Indian spiced potato and green bean salad with chaat masala — a colorful and delicious accompaniment to any Indian meal Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 large potatoes (1 1/2 lbs or 680 g) 2 handfuls green beans, washed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds zest from 1 lemon (1 1/2 teaspoons) 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped 2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste generous handful fresh parsley, finely chopped juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 2 teaspoons chaat masala Instructions: Begin by roasting the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a 400° oven. Bake until fork tender — about 45 minutes depending on the size of your vegetables. Let cool. Once the cooked potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into roughly 1-inch quarter round pieces, leaving the skin on. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds, lemon zest, mint and chilies, and stir for a minute or so. Now stir in the ground coriander and turmeric and continue to stir for another 30 seconds. Now add the potatoes, green beans and salt to the pan. Cook, gently flipping the vegetables often, until the potatoes are golden — about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and most of the chaat masala. Cook for another few minutes to let the parsley wilt a little. Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with the remaining chaat masala. Makes 3 to 4 servings

More spicy potato dishes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Bengali-Style Crunchy Potatoes
Indian-Style Potato and Pea Salad with Tamarind and Chat Masala
Samosa-Style Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I'm sharing this with Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

On the top of the reading stack: Chekhov

Audio Accompaniment: natural ambience

Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

This is about as quick and easy a supper idea as you can get, especially if you have a pot of beans cooked up ahead of time or if you use canned beans. Five minutes preparation and ten minutes cooking, and you have a delicious, zesty and nourishing simple supper or a terrific side dish for a Mexican-themed dinner.

It's an especially appealing idea if you're like me and have plenty of ears of fresh corn and green beans on hand during the summer but other seasonal vegetables can be substituted … even squashes or grated root vegetables in the winter. Of course if it doesn't have fresh corn it's not technically a succotash, but on the other hand a truly traditional succotash has lima beans and lard instead of pinto beans and olive oil and you can use frozen or canned corn. I don't imagine that your diners or dinner partner, or yourself for that matter if you happen to be dining alone, will be debating the technicalities as the meal is enjoyed. The most rewarding thing about cooking is coming up with new and innovative variations on classics and showcasing and eating the results.

Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on January 16, 2013 Quick and easy chipotle-seasoned pinto bean succotash with corn and green beans Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried pinto beans (1 1/2 cups cooked or 14 oz can) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ears fresh corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn 1 cup green beans, chopped 2 green onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the pinto beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, green beans, green onions, garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for 4 or 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Add the tomato, spices, oregano and salt, and stir for 3 minutes or until the tomato starts to soften. Mash some of the beans with a fork and add to the skillet. Stir for 1 or 2 minutes or until the beans are heated through. Remove from heat, add black pepper to taste, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or warm. Makes 2 regular servings or 4 side servings

Other quick and easy meal ideas you might enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Zesty Black Bean and Avocado Salad
Black and Green Bean Corn Hash
Vegetarian Stove-Top Calabacitas
Baked Avocado and Egg with Miso Butter

On the top of the reading stack: cookbooks - catching up on drafts and recipe ideas

Audio Accompaniment: Lauki

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry

"As an Ayurvedic cook the most important ingredient we have to offer while cooking a meal is our own loving intention. When we make something for someone we give something that is personal. Our love and care goes directly into the food we are preparing and becomes part of the person who consumes it."
~ V. Sandhya

After holidays with plenty of rich food served up, our bodies begin to crave more purifying foods to fend off illness and revitalize the body and mind. Craving an easy-to-digest cleansing dose of gently spiced vegetables, I flipped through some of my favorite books and was inspired to make this simple mixed vegetable curry with coconut. This dish is simplicity at its finest and a complete taste experience when paired with some mung bean savory pancakes and a bed of hot fresh cooked brown basmati rice. Any combination of vegetables can be used, although I must admit that I was particularly smitten by the combination that I offer up here. A doctor could not have ordered a better cure for the winter chills.

The book that was the catalyst for this recipe is Mysore Style Cooking: The Secret Yogic Recipes of Mysore, India by V. Sandhya. This gem is one of the most graceful and nourishing cookbooks in my extensive collection. I am eternally grateful to Yogi Kitchen for the recommendation. Beautifully illustrated, strictly vegetarian, and inspired by her family's well-guarded recipes, Sandhya has a home-based restaurant where she serves yogis. If you want to learn about the healing food that comes from the region of Mysore, this is the book to get. Contained with the covers are plenty of ideas for legumes, grains, salads, vegetables, spice powders, breads, raitas and chutneys, and sweets. The majority of the offerings are vegan friendly too. Though I wish I could visit her home, I am happy to have a chance to recreate some of her delicious and nourishing recipes in my own kitchen.

This rather soupy curry is my contribution to this month's No Croutons Required. The challenge this month is to come up with a soup or salad employing the use of the leftovers. In this case, I was using up some excess vegetables I had on hand. You have until the 20th of the month to submit your inspired creation. I'm also submitting this to Ricki's Wellness Weekend and Jac's Bookmarked Recipes.

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Mysore Style Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on January 10, 2013 Warming, fragrant and nourishing curry made with assorted fresh vegetables simmered in a spicy coconut sauce Print this recipe Paste: 2 cups dried shredded coconut 4 1/2 cups water 1 teaspoon poppy seeds 2 to 3 fresh green or red chilies, seeded and chopped 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste pinch of asafetida 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces 3 whole cloves water as needed Curry: 1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil 2 cups fresh dill, trimmed and finely chopped 1 cup cauliflower florets, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium potato, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 1 cup green beans, chopped 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen 1 cup spinach, chopped 2 1/2 to 3 cups water, as needed 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste Instructions: Soak the coconut in 4 1/2 cups water for 30 minutes. Transfer the coconut and water to a blender or food processor and add the poppy seeds, chilies, ginger, ground spices, cinnamon stick and cloves. Process until you have a fairly thick and smooth paste, adding more water as needed. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot add the dill and stir for a few minutes or until fragrant and just wilted. Now add the cauliflower, potato, carrot, green beans and fresh peas if using. Add the paste and stir for a few minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and stir in the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened. Add the spinach leaves and frozen peas if using, stir, and cover and simmer for another few minutes, adding more water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency. Remove from heat and serve hot with fresh cooked rice and your favorite Indian savory flatbread. Makes 6 to 8 servings

More vegetable curries you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mixed Vegetable Curry ( Sabzi Bhaji )
Simple Spicy Bottle Gourd Dal
Roasted Beet and Coconut Curry
Indian-Style Roasted Squash Curry

On the top of the reading stack: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875 by Phyllis Louise Harris and Raghavan Iyer

Audio Accompaniment: Pete Namlook