Green bean dish

Name: Green bean dish
Ingredients: 500 g green beans; 80 ml olive oil; 1 onion; 2 tomatoes or 1 tablespoon of tomato paste; 1/2 teaspoon of sugar; salt; chili flakes; garlic; fresh dill

Sezon - Green bean dish by Eusebia O. - Recipia

Green bean dish is made in a single pot and doesn't require many ingredients. The beans are first sautéed with onions, tomatoes, or tomato paste, then simmered slowly in a little water until tender. Finally, garlic, chili flakes, and fresh dill add a fresh and slightly spicy flavor. It's important that the beans are not boiled in too much water, as the dish should remain thick, not watery. QUICK INFO Preparation time: not specified; includes washing, cleaning, and cutting the beans, as well as chopping the onion and tomatoes Cooking time: 10-15 minutes for sautéing the beans, then simmering until the beans are tender and the liquid reduces by half Total time: depends on how quickly the beans soften Servings: not specified in the original recipe Difficulty: easy Recipe type: vegetable dish, suitable for a simple lunch or dinner INGREDIENTS 500 g green beans 80 ml olive oil 1 onion 2 chopped tomatoes or 1 tablespoon of tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon sugar Salt, to taste Chili flakes, to taste Garlic, to taste Fresh dill, chopped INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wash the green beans thoroughly and trim the ends. Break the beans into suitable pieces, then soak them in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the other ingredients. This prevents them from drying out and keeps them ready for the pot. 2. Finely chop the onion. If using tomatoes, chop them before starting to cook. You can also use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead of the two tomatoes. 3. Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it starts to soften. 4. Add the chopped tomatoes or tomato paste over the onion and mix. The base sauce forms quickly, especially if using paste. 5. Drain the green beans from the cold water and add them to the pot with the onion and tomatoes. Season with salt and add the sugar. The small amount of sugar balances the flavor of the tomatoes or paste. 6. Sauté the beans for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. 7. Pour in enough warm water to cover the beans by about a finger's width. No more liquid is needed, as the dish should reduce while simmering. 8. Cover and let the beans cook until the water reduces by half and the beans are tender. The exact time may vary depending on how young or firm the beans are. 9. When the beans are cooked and the dish has thickened, add the crushed garlic, chili flakes, and chopped fresh dill. Gently mix and allow the flavors to meld in the hot dish. 10. Since it's prepared with olive oil, let the dish cool in the pot with the lid on. It can be served after it has cooled down. WHY I MAKE THIS RECIPE OFTEN It's a simple dish with common ingredients and few dishes to wash. The green beans remain the main ingredient, while the onion, tomatoes, garlic, and dill are enough to provide flavor. I also like that it doesn't require constant monitoring once it starts boiling. It's enough to check the liquid level and the texture of the beans occasionally. Another advantage is that it can be enjoyed both warm and cold. After cooling in the pot, the flavors meld better, and the sauce remains thick around the beans. TIPS The green beans should be drained before being added to the pot. If too much cold water hits the hot oil, cooking will take longer and may splatter. Stir the beans at short intervals during the first 10-15 minutes while sautéing. This is the stage where the beans should absorb the oil and the flavors of the onion and tomatoes. Add warm water just enough to cover the beans by a finger's width. If too much is added, it will take longer for the dish to reduce. Check the beans before turning off the heat. They should be tender, and the liquid should have reduced by about half from when it was added. Garlic, chili flakes, and dill should be added at the end. This way, the garlic and dill retain their aroma better than if cooked from the beginning. SUBSTITUTIONS Chopped tomatoes can be replaced with a tablespoon of tomato paste, as specified in the recipe. The choice depends on what you have on hand and how tomatoey you want the dish to be. For garlic, chili flakes, and dill, there are no exact quantities indicated. You can adjust them to taste without changing the preparation steps. VARIATIONS You can prepare the same dish using chopped tomatoes or tomato paste, keeping the rest of the ingredients and steps unchanged. With tomatoes, the sauce has a lighter consistency; with paste, the tomato flavor is more concentrated. The amount of chili flakes can be reduced or increased depending on how spicy you want the dish. If you prefer a milder taste, you can use a small amount. SERVING IDEAS The green bean dish can be served plain as a vegetable dish. It’s also good after cooling, directly from the pot, with the thick sauce over the beans. If serving warm, let it cool slightly before plating. The original recipe recommends cooling in the pot with the lid on due to the olive oil. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Can I use frozen green beans? The recipe provides instructions for fresh green beans, which are washed, trimmed, and broken into pieces. For frozen beans, the steps are not specified, so it's safer to follow the instructions on the package for thawing or cooking. How much water should I add? Warm water should be added just enough to cover the beans by about a finger's width. No fixed amount is indicated, as it depends on the shape of the pot and how much beans are placed in it. How do I know when the dish is ready? The beans should be tender, and the water should have reduced by half. If the beans are soft but there is still too much liquid, continue simmering until it reduces. When do I add the garlic and dill? Crushed garlic, chili flakes, and chopped dill are added at the end, after the beans have cooked and the liquid has reduced. They are added for the final flavor of the dish. Can it be served cold? Yes. The recipe specifies that the dish should cool in the pot with the lid on. It can be served after it has cooled. NUTRITIONAL VALUES The values are estimated and refer to the total amount prepared. The calculation considers 500 g of green beans, 80 ml of olive oil, one onion, tomatoes, and sugar. The amount of garlic, dill, and tomato paste may slightly alter the results. Calories: approximately 900-1,000 kcal for the entire dish Protein: approximately 10-12 g Carbohydrates: approximately 55-65 g Fat: approximately 78-82 g Fiber: approximately 15-18 g If the dish is divided into four servings, one serving would have approximately 225-250 kcal, 2.5-3 g of protein, 14-16 g of carbohydrates, and about 20 g of fat. These values are indicative, and most of the calories come from the olive oil. STORAGE AND REHEATING Let the dish cool in the pot with the lid on, as indicated in the recipe. After cooling, if not served immediately, store it in the refrigerator in a covered container. For reheating, heat only the amount that will be consumed. If the dish seems too thick or the sauce has thickened, reheat gradually to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. The dish can also be eaten cold, without an additional cooking step.

Ingredients

500 g green beans
80 ml olive oil
1 onion
2 tomatoes or 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
salt
chili flakes
garlic
fresh dill

Green bean dish

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