Green beans in sesame

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  2 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ½ tsp instant dashi granules (see Note)
• 3 tsp white miso paste (see Note)
• 70 g (¼ cup) Japanese white sesame seed paste (see Note) or tahini
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking sake (see Note)
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 200 g green beans, trimmed
• baby shiso leaves (see Note) or wild rocket or baby herbs, and black sesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

To make sesame dressing, dissolve dashi in 2 tbsp boiling water. Stir in miso paste until combined. Add sesame paste, sugar, soy, sake and vinegar, and whisk until combined. Will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Blanch beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh immediately in a bowl of iced water. Cool, then using your fingers, split beans in half lengthwise. Cut diagonally and toss with dressing. Scatter with baby shiso leaves and black sesame seeds, to serve.

Note

• Instant dashi, white miso paste, Japanese white sesame paste and cooking sake are available from Japanese and selected Asian food shops. Instant dashi is sold as granules and is used to make stock for Japanese dishes.

• Baby shiso leaves, also known as lamb’s lettuce, are available from selected greengrocers.

Also written by Kirrily La Rosa and Wendy Quisumbing. Photography by Chris Chen.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.