Green beans are very tasty vegetables and can be cooked in many different ways such as steaming, boiling and stir frying. They are known to be full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A and C, calcium, folate, iron and lots of fiber. These vegetables are available round the year and provide a great addition to any meal. They are also called string beans or snap beans, however, the beans that you get these days are string-less and more tender. Before cooking these beans, it is essential to wash them thoroughly and then snap off the stem with a knife. You can then slit them length-wise or can even chop them big or small according to your liking. Here is a quick recipe to prepare blanched green beans which are sauteed in garlic and olive, making it a perfect side dish which you can have for lunch or dinner. So, go for it.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 15 minutes
Resources Required:
- Green beans
- Salt
- Olive oil
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1 deep pan for boiling
- 1 shallow pan to saute
- Fresh herbs or dry herbs
- A knife
- A chopping board
Instructions:
1. Washing the green beans
It is very important to thoroughly wash the beans in cold water and then remove the stem by either using a knife or by simply snapping it off by hand.
2. Chopping the beans
You can chop the green beans either by slitting them lengthwise or by chopping them into long or short pieces or even leaving them whole.
3. Prepare boiling water for blanching
Take a pan and fill it up with water. Add some salt in it. Set it on stove on high flame until it comes to a boiling point. Add beans in it and let them boil for around 3-4 minutes until they become tender. Then turn off the flame and cover the pan and let the beans steam for 2-3 minutes. Keep a watch on the green beans and make sure they are not overcooked.
4. Saute the green beans for the final dish
Take another pan and add a spoonful of olive oil and heat it a little. Then add the garlic in the olive oil and keep the flame on low intensity. Let the garlic turn a little golden by tossing it over gently. After the garlic has changed color, you can then add the beans and saute them thoroughly in the pan for around 5-6 minutes. At the end, do season them by adding some freshly chopped herbs or even dry herbs like parsley according to your taste. Seasoning greatly enhances the flavor of green beans and makes them very delicious. You can always experiment with the seasoning and can invent something of your own!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can I cook Chinese green beans?
Stir fried green beans are made by a Chinese cooking method called ‘dry frying’ in which the beans are fried until the skin starts to shrivel and turn a brownish color making them very tender. These beans can then be sauteed by taking vegetable or groundnut oil in a pan and then adding chopped garlic and ginger, spring onions, salt, pepper, a bit of sugar, dark soy sauce and chili paste to give it a spicy seasoning.
Quick Tips:
- Always wash the beans in cold water and make sure that you scrub them nicely in order to remove any dirt or pesticides on the skin.
- Make sure you do not overcook the green beans, otherwise they will look limp and tasteless.
Things To Watch Out For:
Do not use any type of kitchen detergent to wash the green beans. It is advisable to only use plain cold water.
