Easy Veggie Asparagus Stir Fry - Indian Style

It's been only 3 years or so, since I fell in love with this vegetable and then onwards it's regular in our meals whenever nice & tender ones are available, mainly in the spring & summer. First of all I love how they look..... just like some flower bud,well they belong to lily family. Second, they are so easy to cook. Last but the most important they are packed with nutrients like Folic acid, potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, thiamine and rutin, a compound that strengthens capillary walls. Asparagus has no fat, does not contain cholesterol and is low in Sodium.

Some of it's health benefits are :

• prevent constipation due to its high fiber content.
• its an alkaline food thus helps in reducing the acidity of the blood.
• has an abundance of an amino acid called asparagine that helps to cleanse the body of waste material.
• has anti-inflammatory properties that helps relieve arthritis and rheumatism symptoms.
• prime source of anti-oxidant and glutathione that can help prevent the dreaded cancer.
• can help regulate blood sugar.
• contain magnesium which can help relieve irritability, fatigue and depression.
• contain a good amount of folic acid and calcium that can reduce birth defects, so very good for the women who are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant (folate deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the world).

Ingredients :

• 1 bunch asparagus
• salt as per taste
• 1 tsp. ajwain(carom seeds)
• 1 tsp. red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. haldi(turmeric)
• little evoo

Method :

1. Wash asparagus & cut the coarse woody ends of the asparagus stalk. Technique here is, hold the bottom end of the stalk with one hand & with the other hand hold the centre part of it & now try to break it, where it breaks taking that as guideline cut the bottom from all the stalk usually around 2 inches from the bottom.
2. Don't discard the bottoms you can either use them for making vegetable stock with other veggies or peel them & chop them, keep them separate. Below is the picture of peeled woodsy part of asparagus before chopping.
3. Chop the stalk into bite size pieces.
4. Heat oil in pan, add carom seeds once they start to splutter add chopped woodsy ends of asparagus(if using). Let them cook for 3-4 minutes & then add rest of the asparagus, stir everything add dry spices & salt & mix.
   
5. Cover & cook for another 7-8 minutes or so. Keep an eye as sometime if they are very tender they will cook very quickly whereas if little woodsy might take extra minute or two.
6. Serve warm as a side dish with roti or rice or just eat it like that as warm bowl of salad, any time of the day.

Sending this easy recipe to Easy Veggie.