Sweet Potato & Green Bean Sabji

Ingredients

• 4
  
  medium to large sweet potatoes
  
• 1
  
  pound green beans
  
• 1/4
  
  cup fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
  
• 1
  
  tablespoon black mustard seeds
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon sambar powder
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 1/4
  
  teaspoon asfoetida
  
• 1/2
  
  cup water
  
• 3
  
  tablespoons canola oil
  
• 
  
  salt
  

Directions

1. Prep the vegetables: peel & dice the sweet potatoes into roughly 1-inch chunks, then wash & remove the ends from the green beans, chopping them into inch-long pieces.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan (with a matching lid), heat the oil over medium-high heat. After 3-4 minutes, the oil should be quite hot but not smoking. Throw in the mustard seeds & sprinkle in the asfoetida. It’s essential to heat these two ingredients at the outset and let them get very hot or they will make the whole dish taste bitter.
3. Turn down the heat to medium; add ginger. Cook until the ginger begins to soften, then add the sweet potatoes, sambar powder, & water. Toss to ensure that the potatoes are well-coated with the spices.
4. Cover the dish, turn the heat down to medium-low, and allow the sweet potatoes to cook until just tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the green beans and cook for another 5-8 minutes, including more water if necessary. Once the green beans are bright and cooked through, fold in tomato paste to bind the dish. Taste the dish for salt & season accordingly.