A 3-course meal with simple Indian-style green beans

I haven’t been posting as much since moving to Munich, and I do apologise for that. In truth, I have found myself gravitating towards old, familiar recipes and experimenting less, partly because I have less time, but also because cooking for just one person isn’t as exciting as having other people to eat with!

Tonight, however, I had some family over for dinner and so I decided to go all out – a 3-course meal encompassing a few different cuisines. I made dessert the night before, and the rest of the food only took around one hour to make – so if you are the sort of person who doesn’t like to slave over a hot stove for hours before the guests arrive, these recipes will suit you perfectly!

1st course: Fresh bread (oh, how I love Germany) with home-made guacamole (just mix ripe avocado, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice and Creole salt) and mozzarella pieces drizzled with olive oil, balsamic cream, salt and pepper

2nd course: Egg curry (it never fails), green beans and Basmati rice (the green beans were a successful experiment, recipe below)

3rd course: White chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries (chilled overnight, recipe courtesy of The Baking Medic)

Simple Indian-style green beans

• 300g green beans, washed, ends trimmed and chopped in inch-long pieces
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Pinch of chili powder
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup water

This recipe really couldn’t be easier. Heat the olive oil and then add the mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add the green beans and fry for a few minutes. Add the salt, sugar and chili powder and stir, then add the water and let the beans cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are cooked, but still have a crunch (they will start to shrivel a little, which is normal), around 7-8 minutes. Adjust the salt to taste and serve hot!