Nael Younis, Holy Land Team
Serves 4-6
1 kg (~2 lb) fresh green beans
2 medium onions (~200 g)
3-4 garlic cloves (~10 g)
2 medium tomatoes (~400 g)
4-5 sweet green peppers (~50 g)
½ cup olive oil
1 ½ cup water
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. sugar
Soak the green beans in water for a couple of minutes. Wash them thoroughly under running water, then drain. Peel, wash, and dice the onions. Peel, wash, and slice the garlic cloves. Wash, peel, and dice the tomatoes. Wash and chop the sweet peppers. Clean and cut the beans into similar lengths: cut each bean at both ends, then split the bean lengthwise and then across the body. Place cut beans on a flat plate or a tray side-by-side, and repeat until beans are all cleaned and near-uniform in size.
Choose a large, shallow pot for cooking. Drizzle ½ cup of olive oil in the pot, then add the diced onion and sliced garlic and cook over medium heat until onion and garlic turn yellow. Add the chopped beans and sweet pepper to the mixture and cook until beans are moderately tender. Then add the diced tomato.
Bring ingredients to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat and cook for 22 to 28 mins, until beans are soft and tender. Throughout, scrape the pan occasionally, and if needed, add ½ C to 1 C of water to prevent sticking. Once the beans are almost done, add ½ tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt (or to taste), and let the mixture simmer for about 2 mins.
Rest the beans for 10-15 mins before transferring to a serving plate. Try to keep their orderly form for a more appealing presentation. Serve warm as a light entrée or chilled as a side dish. Garnish with chopped parsley or coriander.
Enjoy & Sahteen!
