INDIAN MIXED VEGETABLES

"I first ate a version of this dish at Ajanta, a delightfully casual restaurant in Berkeley, California, where the fresh-from-the-garden ingredients are themselves a rare treat when dining out. The dish starts with frying mustard seeds, adding a handful of Indian spices, then sautéing fresh tomatoes until they soften into a sauce. Additional vegetables are also cooked in the tomato base, deepening the sauce with their own unique flavors. Ultimately, the dish cooks until most of the moisture evaporates and you are left with soft, tender vegetables that are subtly imbued with tomato and spice flavors."

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. whole mustard seeds, preferably black or brown
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
4 cups 1-inch cauliflower florets
1/4 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cook, shaking pan constantly, until they pop, 1 minute.*

Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute.

Mix in onions and saute until golden, 8 minutes.

Mix in coriander, paprika, and turmeric. Add tomatoes, with any juice, and cook until they are soft, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add potato and carrot, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.

Add cauliflower and green beans, cover partially, and cook 15 minutes, adding a bit of water, if needed, to prevent sticking. Uncover and cook until vegetables are almost dry and quite soft, 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if desired.

*Frying spices, an everyday step in Indian cooking, can often intimidate those with less experience in the kitchen. Do not be surprised when some mustard seeds pop and jump out of the pan. The best varieties to buy are black or brown mustard seeds sold at spice stores or online. When the seeds turn grayish, mix in the ground spices.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 80 calories, 3.5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 95 mg sodium.

Source: by Dana Jacobi for The American Institute for Cancer Research