#196 Happy St Patricks Day with Green, Green and more Green

The 2012 Saint Patrick's day parade on Sunday was set off by a huge crowd of Irish Americans on Constitution Avenue in Washington DC.

Some make it a point to attend every year. I for one, refuse to go for any parade downtown, only because of the large unmanageable rush of people there at all times. The colorful three hour procession is highlighted by floats, marching bands and even Irish wolfhounds. Most of the students

from Irish schools performed dances from Irish favorites. A native of Dublin Cathal Armstrong was this year's Grand Marshall. Cathal has a passion for food and is

involved in improving the food in the nation's schools.  His theme was "Feed the Soul and Nourish the Palate".  So to stick to the theme, I am sharing a couple of

green colored dishes that are nourishing to my Palate..

Bottlegourd or Lauki Skin Chutney

What you will need:

Bottlegourd skins peeled from one medium sized bottelgourd

Ginger paste- 1/2 tspn

Onion -1/4 small onion sliced

Asafoetida-2 pinches

Cilantro leaves and stem- 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Green Chillies-3

Lemon juice- 1/2 lemon squeezed

For Tempering :Mustard seeds, red chilli and oil

How to make the chutney:
1. Mix together all the ingredients leaving out the tempering spices. Place them in the glass bowl of a mixer-grinder. Pulse well until ground to a fairly smooth paste.
2. Heat a pan over medium fire. Add oil, followed by tempering spices and when they splutter add the ground paste. stire well until cooked adding 1/4 cup water to cook down the vegetable skin. Remove and serve with rotis or rice.

Hare Bhare Lima Beans Saag

Hare Bhare means 'full of greens'. True to the name, this is a Saag which includes cilantro, mint, lima beans and chopped spinach. Do you think the lima bean is considered a bland boring bean
on its own? Well, you may be right, but lima beans are also rich in nutrients, and the bright green color allows it to pay perfect homage to St. Patrick's Day.  Also known as butter beans, the inside of the lima bean is so buttery and creamy it has become quite the favorite in my family. R loves lima beans sauteed, but I love change so here's my all-green Lima Bean Saag............
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 tspn garlic, chopped
2 tspn ginger paste
Cilantro and Mint - 1 tblspoon each
1 tablespoon turmeric/haldi powder
10 oz frozen Lima Beans
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium-high heat, and cook and stir cumin seed, chile pepper, garlic, and turmeric until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2.Stir in the chopped mustard greens and spinach a little at a time, adding the tougher parts first (the stems and thicker leaves). Continue to add greens, and cook and stir until all greens have been added and all are thoroughly wilted. Add cilantro and Mint and then puree slightly with a hand blender.  Keep aside.
3. In the same skiller stir in the cumin, coriander, and salt. Add 1 cup water and thawed lima beans. Cover and cook until done.
4. Now, add the greens reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the greens moist.