Green Beans with Mirin

Lightly steamed Green Beans served with a Japanese style dressing is very simple and tasty. Serve it either warm or cold.

Make this the basis of a nutritious, light, vegan meal with the addition of nuts and serve it with steamed brown or wild rice.

The dressing can be poured over a wide variety of vegetables; try lightly steamed carrots, chard, bok choy or broccoli.

Ingredients

Preparation: 10 mins Cook: 2 + 10 mins Serves: 2

300 gm green beans*

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp mirin (or sherry)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Method

TRIM stem-end off the beans if necessary.

STEAM the beans for approximately 2 minutes until they begin to soften but retain some texture.

DRAIN and refresh under cold water.

PAT dry in a tea towel of kitchen paper and place in a bowl.

COMBINE and mix the soy, mirin and sesame oil and pour over the warm beans.

STIR the dressing through the beans to ensure they are completely coated.

DRY ROAST the seeds over a medium heat. This takes 3-5 minutes for each batch.

(Roast each seed type separately because they cook at different rates.)

SPRINKLE the seeds on the beans before you serve.

Serve

As a salad to accompany other dishes.

As a light meal with steamed rice.

Notes

* Replace the beans with any selection of vegetable, eg carrot, chard, bok choy, broccoli.