STIR-FRIED SWEET PEPPERS WITH COCONUT AND PEANUTS

Summer comfort food at it's best! I love these stir-fried peppers - or shaak as we call it in Gujarati - with rotli, these gluten-free flatbreads, or rice. It's flavourful, healthy, fresh, and light. Try it!

Adapted from here.

Stir-Fried Sweet Peppers with Coconut and Peanuts

makes: 4 servings

- 1 lb. (~1/2 kg) sweet mini peppers, stemmed, washed and sliced into rounds

- 1/4 cup raw peanuts

- 2 dried whole cayenne chiles

- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. sugar

- 2 tbsp. coconut, safflower, sunflower, or other neutral oil (not olive oil!)

- 1 tsp. cumin seeds

- 1 tbsp. caraway seeds (shah jeeru, or cumin seeds)
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

- 1/8 cup water

- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Dry roast the peanuts, caraway seeds, and dried chiles on medium-low heat till they are fragrant and the peanuts and chiles are lightly browned in some spots. Turn the heat off and cool. Transfer the roasted peanuts, cumin, and chiles to a blender or spice grinder. Add the coconut, sugar, and salt and grind into a coarse powder.
2. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Once they sizzle and the mustard seeds start to pop, add the turmeric and sliced peppers and mix well. Add the water, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Uncover, add the coarsely powdered spices, and mix well. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes uncovered, stirring once.
4. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, stir.
5. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve with roti or rice.

SPICY SICHUAN DRY-FRIED GREEN BEANS

I love string beans in all colours and forms. Green string beans are the highlight in this classic Sichuan dish, lightened up a bit. The beans are usually deep-fried for this dish, but dry-frying works really well and is less messy than dealing with a large container of oil. Adjust the spice level to your needs... the dried red chillies are of course edible, and perfect if you wish to have an inferno in your mouth! :-)

Spicy Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans

makes: 4 servings

- 1 lb. (~1/2 kg.) green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 3 - 4 in. pieces

- 6 - 8 dried red chillies

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 in. piece of ginger, minced

- 1 leek, halved and sliced

- 1 tsp. whole Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

- 3 tbsp. safflower oil (or any neutral oil, not olive oil)

Mix into a sauce:

- 1 tbsp. rice wine (sake is fine if you don't have Chinese rice wine)

- 1 tbsp. sesame oil

- 2 tbsp. chilli bean sauce (any chilli bean sauce is fine if you don't have the Sichuan kind)

- 1-1/2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. sugar

1. Pat the green beans completely dry with a towel.
2. Heat a large skillet without oil and add the green beans. dry-fry the green beans for 4-5 min. stirring constantly so they don't burn. Add the oil into the pan and continue to dry-fry for 7 - 10 mini. or until the green beans start to wrinkle. Transfer the green beans to a bowl and set aside.
3. Return the skillet to the heat and add the dried peppers, leeks, garlic, ginger and Sichuan peppercorn (if using). Stir fry until aromatic. Add the sauce and stir well. Turn the heat to high and add the dry-fried green beans. Mix well and remove from the heat. Adjust salt to taste.
4. Serve hot with rice and a cucumber salad to cool things down.

SPICY SICHUAN NOODLES

These noodles - a riff on the very popular dan dan noodles - are fiery and addictive! Don't be put off by the ingredient list. Although they sound hard to find, Sichuan pepper, Chinese pickled vegetables, and preserved chillies are easily found in any Asian grocery store, or even at a well-stocked regular grocery store.

Use any greens you'd like - this time I used sweet potato leaves from my garden but in the past I've also used sliced bok choy and spinach. I like spice but not infernal heat, so for some people these might not be spicy enough - simply adjust the spice level to your taste!

Spicy Sichuan Noodles

makes: 4 servings

- 1 recipe homemade noodles (or 1 packet of dried or fresh noodles of your choice)

- 3 - 4 dried red cayenne peppers (or any other dried red chillies)

- 4 scallions, sliced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 in. piece of ginger, peeled and minced

- 1 jalapeño, sliced

- 2 carrots, julienned

- 1 zucchini, julienned

- 1 cup bean sprouts

- 1 cup sweet potato leaves (or any other greens)

- 3 tbsp. pickled mustard greens and/or bamboo shoots, chopped (optional)

- 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper (flakes)

- 2 tbsp. rice wine (sake is fine) (optional)

- 2 tbsp. peanut oil (or safflower oil, but not olive oil!)

Sauce:

- 1 tbsp. sesame oil

- 1 tbsp. sesame paste (tahini is fine)

- 1-2 tbsp. Chinese preserved chillies (or red pepper flakes soaked in 1 tbsp. distilled vinegar)

- 1/4 cup soy sauce

- 1 tbsp. sugar

- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp. Sichuan pepper, crushed (optional)

- 1 tsp. corn starch (optional)

Garnish:

- 1/2 cup bean sprouts

- 1 cucumber, julienned

1. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
2. In a large pot heat water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and boil for 7 - 10 min. till they are al dente or cooked to your preference. Drain the noodles.
3. On medium-high, heat the peanut oil in a large pan. Add the dried peppers, scallions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and give it a quick stir. Add the carrots, zucchini, sweet potato leaves, and pickled vegetables if using, and sauté, stirring constantly. Deglaze the pan with the rice wine. Add the soy sauce and crushed red pepper and stir.
4. Add the noodles and sauce, turn the heat to high and quickly stir everything together. Turn the heat off.
5. Serve in bowls, garnished with bean sprouts and julienned cucumber.