Easy green beans. With soy sauce, garlic and curry.

How would you trim your green beans? With scissors! There is something meditative in taking one string at the time and cutting its tail. Green beans make fast and healthy Asian flavored side dish. 

Green beans, cooking; garlic and oil, getting ready with scissors

Curried green beans with soy and garlic


Ingredients

garlic, 2 gloves, minced
olive oil, 1/2 table spoon

chili flakes - 1/4 tables spoon or to taste (optional)

green beans, 1 pound, washed and trimmed

curry powder, 1/2 tea spoon or to taste
soy sauce, 1 tablespoon or to taste (tamari sauce can be substituted)
water, 1/4 cup or more
rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon or to taste (umeboshi or other vinegar can be substituted)
roasted sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon or to taste (optional)
no salt

Note: for gluten free, check labels

Method

Place garlic, oil and chili flakes on medium skillet and turn heat on low medium heat. Cook for about 30 seconds till fragrant. Add beans, curry powder, soy cause, water, vinegar and stir. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes covered. Steam will cook the beans.

It is your choice to make beans crisp or soft. My family likes them on a softer side. If you prefer them softer, add splash of water, cover and cook for few more minutes. When done to your liking, turn off the heat, add sesame oil and mix.

Note, that if the beans remain in hot skillet, they are subject to heat and get softer.

Cooked!

Those green beans are great addition to lunch box, either cold, by themselves or warm, mixed with rice in a thermos.