Spiced Green Beans & Rice Sem Pullao

1 tb Black mustard seeds

1 pn Crushed red chili flakes

1 ts Cumin seeds

1/4 ts Asafetida (optional)

2 tb Olive oil

3 c Chopped fresh green beans

1 ts Tumeric

1/4 ts Sea salt

1 c Uncooked basmati rice

3 1/2 c Water or vegetable broth

Place rice in a strainer and rinse with cool water until water runs clear. Set aside. In a large saucepan, fry mustard seeds, chili, cumin seeds and asafetida in hot oil until mustard seeds begin to sputter and pop. Add green beans, tumeric and salt. Saute for 3 minutes. Add rice to green bean mixture in saucepan and saute for 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. (Do not remove cover while cooking.) Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Per serving: 279 cal, 7 g prot, 433 mg sod, 43 g carb, 9 g fat, 0 mg chol, 232 mg calcium

Source: Vegetarian Gourmet, Autumn 1993 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias