Indonesian-Spiced Green Beans
This is one of many spicy vegetable side dishes – savoured with rice – common to Indonesian and Malaysian cooking. Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) is a pantry staple of the region; buy it in the Asian-food aisles of many grocery stores.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) green beans
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) peanut or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) sliced shallots
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 green hot peppers, sliced
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) grated fresh coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) minced gingerroot
- 1 tsp (5 mL) shrimp paste, or 1 tbsp/15 mL fish sauce
- 3/4 cups (175 mL) chopped ripe or canned tomatoes
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Indonesian or other Asian chili paste
- 1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (10 mL) lime or lemon juice
- 2 tsp (10 mL) kecap manis, or (1-1/2 tsp/7 mL soy sauce and 1/2 tsp/2 mL granulated sugar)
Preparation
Cut beans into 1-inch/2.5 cm lengths; set aside.
In skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat; fry shallots, garlic, hot peppers and cumin seeds until shallots are light golden. Add beans, coconut and ginger; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add shrimp paste; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, chili paste and sugar; stir-fry, sprinkling with water if mixture is sticking to pan and to moisten slightly, until beans are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and kecap manis.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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