Serves 4 – 6
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This Taze Fasulye Yahni (Green Bean Stew) is one of my family’s firm favourites. The kids LOVE it, it’s so quick and easy to make, is super kind on the pocket (I usually use frozen fine green beans, which are so much cheaper than fresh, and just as good IMHO), and is packed full of veggies and simple store-cupboard ingredients. If you are really struggling to find the Turkish Sweet Red Pepper Paste (most mainstream supermarkets and certainly international supermarkets sell it), then just use 2 tbsp of tomato puree.
Serve with rice or bread, perfect for soaking or mopping up the delicious juices, a dollop of thick natural yoghurt, and some pickled peppers and black olives.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 500g white potatoes (or 250g white potatoes, 250g Sweet potatoes), peeled and quartered
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2cm disks
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
- 1 heaped tbsp Turkish sweet red pepper paste
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 x 400g can finely chopped tomatoes
- 500g frozen green beans
- 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes (salt to taste depending on how salty your stock is)
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
Method
1. Add the olive oil to a large pan on a medium-low heat, and soften the onions in the olive oil for 15-20 mins until caramelised.
2. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pan and fry for a further 4-5 minutes, then add the purée, paste and cumin, stir well, then add the green beans and stir until coated in the pastes and spices, add the chopped tomatoes and stir and reduce down for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, pour in the stock, chuck in the bay leaves, bring up to the boil, then turn heat down and simmer with the lid on for 30 mins or until reduced but still saucy.
3. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit, with the lid on, for 30 mins before serving, so that the flavours really come together. Tastes even better the next day.
Some tips to make it extra delicious…
Take your time softening the onions – add enough oil to the pan so the onions sizzle slowly, soften and caramelise until golden brown and slightly crispy at the edges
Fry potatoes and carrots for a few minutes after you have softened the onions – the caramelised edges will add so much flavour rather than just boiling them in the tomatoey stock.
Try and use good quality chopped tomatoes (I often make this dish with fresh tomatoes too) – it really does make a difference to the texture and flavour of the sauce.
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