RECIPE: Beans In Brown Sugar

[Guest guest]

This is a recipe slightly adapted from one by my hero, Madhur Jaffrey - whose

earlier

books taught me how to cook *interesting* vegetarian food. It's pretty simple

and good

for a quick meal. Mrs Jaffrey originally devised her recipe for soybeans, which

is how I've

made it, but I think you could easily use any mild-mannered unassuming little

bean

instead ;=) Next time I make it I plan to try it with maple syrup instead of the

brown sugar

(I use turbinado now).

 

Here's my version.

 

BEANS IN BROWN SUGAR

 

2 Tbsp dried wakabe/seaweed, soaked and cut into tiny pieces

1 Tbsp (or as little as you can get away with) canola oil

1 tsp grated ginger

1 small carrot, grated

3 green onions or scallions, finely chopped

2 cups soybeans, cooked and drained

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp sea salt

large pinch of crushed chillies

1 tsp dark sesame oil

 

Put the canola oil in a skillet and when it reaches medium to high heat add the

ginger,

grated carrot , green onions, crushed chilies and stir. Then add the seaweed,

stir again,

and then the beans plus 1 cup of water (or their cooking liquid if you have it).

Throw in the

sugar and the salt and stir again and bring it back to the simmer.

 

Turn the heat down to low, so that it keeps on the simmer, and cook it for 30

minutes with

the lid partially covering the pan.

 

Keep an eye on this, for when you have a wonderfully thick mass of beans in a

syrup

you're done! Adjust seasonings, avoid eating it out of the pan, remove from

heat, avoid

eating it out of the pan, add sesame oil, avoid eating it out of the pan- and

serve.

 

It's remarkably simple and very good!

 

Best, Pat