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Shim bhorta
শিম ভর্তা (shim bhorta): boiled flat beans mashed with fried garlic, dried chilli and mustard oil
From November the bamboo trellises in courtyards across rural Bangladesh hang heavy with shim, the broad, flat hyacinth beans with purple or green edges, and they end up in curries, bhajis and, best of all, a smoky green bhorta. The beans are boiled until tender, then crushed with garlic fried golden in mustard oil, crisp dried chilli and raw onion into a coarse, nutty paste. It is one of the stars of a winter bhorta spread, served with hot rice, dal and a fried egg or fish for those who eat it. Leaving the strings on is the common slip; they stay tough and fibrous in the mash, so pull them off both edges first. Chef's tip: if the beans are mature with fat seeds inside, pop the seeds out, dry-roast them for a few minutes and pound them in for extra crunch.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz flat beans (shim or hyacinth beans)strings removed, cut in half
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 6 cloves garlicthinly sliced
- 1 small onionfinely chopped
- 1 green chilli (optional)chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Boil 10 ½ oz flat beans (shim or hyacinth beans) in salted water using half the 1.5 /4 tsp salt for 8–10 minutes until very tender; drain well and leave to steam dry.
10 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan over a medium heat and fry 6 cloves garlic and 3 dried red chillies for 2–3 minutes until the garlic is golden and the chillies are crisp. Lift out, keeping the oil.
3 minStep 3: Pound or pulse the beans with the garlic, chillies and remaining 1.5 /4 tsp salt to a coarse paste.
2 minStep 4: Mix in 1 small onion, 1 green chilli, 2 tbsp fresh coriander and the frying oil with your fingers, shape into a mound and serve with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shim bhorta take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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