French beans Indonesian style

Sambal goreng buncis

This spicy dish made of French beans as the main ingredient, has it's roots on the Indonesian island of Java. It is prepared in a hot sauce of tomatoes, chilis and coconut. This dish is also suited for vegetarians.

Serves: 4 - 6 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Ready in: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh / dried red chilies, thinly sliced (you can discard the seeds if preferred)
• 2½ cm (1 inch) galangal
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 g (1 lb) green beans, stems removed and cut into 1? pieces
• 1 tomatoes, cored and cut into 10 wedges
• 150 ml (5 oz) water
• 150 ml (5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 tsp palm sugar (can be substituted with dark brown sugar)
• ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, chilies, galangal, and bay leaves for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the garlic and shallots starts to turn golden.
2. Raise heat to medium, add green beans and tomatoes, stir to combine for about 2 minutes until the green beans are starting to soften and cooked.
3. Add water, coconut milk, palm sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Stir occasionally, don’t allow the coconut milk to boil or it may curdle. The beans should be soft but slightly crunchy. Adjust the salt if necessary.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl. Discard the galangal and bay leaves.