The Electric Kitchen: Indian dinner benefits culinary foundation

Chef Vikram Garg will prepare the foods of his homeland next month in a dinner benefiting the Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation. The Indian feast will be served family-style, spotlighting regional ingredients and flavors.

Proceeds will go toward the foundation’s programs, providing culinary students with opportunities to learn from local, national and international chefs, cookbook authors, and food and wine experts. The dinner is set for 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.

Tickets are $225, available at hcefindianfeastpunjab.eventbrite.com. Tables for 10 are $2,225. Email hawaiiculinaryfoundation@gmail.com.

This week, Garg shares some favorite recipes.

PALAK DAL

By Chef Vikram Garg

• 1 cup split mung beans
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped spinach leaves
• Salt, to taste
• Juice of half a lemon

In a heavy-bottom saucepan on medium heat, combine mung beans, water and turmeric; cook 25-30 minutes. Drain; set aside.

In a large sauce pan on medium, heat oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds; when seeds crackle, add garlic and ginger. Cook until golden brown.

Add chopped spinach and cooked mung beans. Season with salt.

Continue to simmer on low for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.

Add lemon juice and turn off heat. Serve warm with rice. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including rice or salt to taste): 280 calories, 11 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 13 g protein.

SPICED INDIAN GREEN BEANS

• By Chef Vikram Garg
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 dried whole red chilies
• 5-7 fresh curry leaves (available at specialty stores)
• Salt, to taste

In a medium pot on medium-high, cook beans in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and shock in chilled water.

In a frying pan on medium, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, chilies and curry leaves; saute until mustard seeds start to crackle.

Add beans and salt; stir-fry until beans are warm.

Serve with rice and lentils. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including rice, lentils or salt to taste): 100 calories, 7 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 2 g protein.

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.