Geetha's Kitchen

Another wonderful bean soup/stew! Although beans originally came from the Americas (one of the "three sisters" - the other two being corn and squash), they have been adopted and are favorites in India as well as the countries around the Mediterranean. Use Cannellini, Great Northern, small Lima, or Navy beans - in short any white bean will do :D. White bean soups and stews are very popular all around the Mediterranean. Althought Kuru Fasulye is similar in that it is made with white beans, it is deliciously different from the Greek Fasolatha .  This is an almost Turkish version as I have tried to recreate the wonderful taste of some of this soup/stew we had in Turkey where it is called "Kuru Fasulye". I have added turmeric as it adds its amazing medicinal qualities without changing the flavor of the dish. The experts agree that beans are a super food and recommend eating at least a cup of cooked beans a day as they provide abundant fiber, antioxidant...

Take advantage of the fresh and succulent green beans available especially through the summer months. Here is a lovely salad perfect for a picnic, potluck, or anywhere for that matter. There are many varieties of green beans which are the immature seed pods of leguminous plants. The common beans are also known as snap or string beans. All are delicious and are cooked in many ways especially in Indian cuisine - alone or in combination with other veggies - Pulavs , Thoran , Mezhukkuvaratti , in Paruppu Usili , Sambar , Kootu , Molakootal , Aviyal , Salad, etc. Some of the names of the dishes may sound unfamiliar or forbidding, but all are delicious and many are simple dishes made in a matter of minutes. Although any of the various types of green beans can be used interchangeably, typically the commonly available roundish or flat ones are used in most recipes. Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (without the optional cheese) contains approximately: 83 calories, 5 g fat, 79...

Green beans are fabulous veggies - people have been growing/eating them for a very long time. They are prepared all over the globe in amazingly similar ways. India, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, all have green bean dishes where they are cooked to perfection with onions and tomatoes. Indian cooks add potatoes sometimes as do the cooks in Greece!! Greeks call this dish "fasolakia" and in Turkey it is "fasulye". I guess good cooks know how magical green beans can be regardless of where they live ;D. I would rather have Jack's magical bean vine with abundant crops of beans than the giant's gold any day - Midas the monarch of Phrygia of the golden touch would attest to that!! Here is an authentic recipe for green beans prepared Turkish style - called Taze Fasulye (Taze means fresh and fasulye - you guessed it, beans! ) adapted from the general directions from our wonderful tour director Ece. A little Turkish language lesson: Ece is pronounced as "A J" ...

Mattar Paneer is a classic North Indian entree. You do have to plan ahead in case you prefer to make your own homemade paneer . Now that paneer is available for purchase, it is very easy to prepare Mattar Paneer. For a delicious vegan option, use firm tofu instead of the paneer. Ingredients: 1 lb block Paneer 1 lb. Fresh or Frozen Peas 1 large Onion, finely chopped 1/2 " piece fresh Ginger, grated 1 clove Garlic (optional) 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp ground Red Pepper (cayenne) 1 tsp Sea Salt, freshly ground black pepper 2 large Tomatoes, chopped 1 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped 1 Tbsp oil/ghee 1tsp Garam Masala 4 Tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped for garnish Method: Cut the paneer into small bite-sized cubes. Heat a large skillet or wok. Add oil, onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric and red pepper and freshly ground black pepper with the salt and cook until soft. Stir in the tomatoes and bell pepper; cook stirring until tomatoes cook and form a sauce. Stir in the paneer cubes and the pe...

Tabbouleh (pronounced 'ta-boo-li') is a refreshing salad especially suited for the halcyon days of summer. This healthy salad is eaten all over the Mediterranean region. I love to make it with my favorite vegetables according to seasonal availability. A food processor makes short work of chopping and shredding all the veggies. For young children, I use more carrots and go easy on the radishes even though the lemon and salt mellow them quite a bit. Also, I like using mild leeks in lieu of scallions (spring or green onions) which are more strongly flavored. The taste can be varied by using other herbs such as fresh basil, cilantro, tarragon, or savory instead of the mint. The vegetables in the recipe given below are just a suggestion; use all, some, or others as you prefer. Lapsi, a cracked wheat product just like Bulgar, is readily available in Indian markets. Lapsi, regular or whole wheat couscous, and quinoa can be substituted for the bulgar if preferred. Follo...