Turkish Style Green Beans
I am not crazy about green beans. They’re usually expensive, spoil fast and take forever to prep. There is however one way I eat them, and that’s Turkish style, or Taze Fasulye.
You saute onions, garlic and carrots then add tomatoes. This becomes a light sauce in which the green beans are braised for over 30 minutes. The beans become very soft, and that’s partly why they are so good.
The most interesting thing is, they taste best when served cold. You can make them the day before and serve them as a salad the next day. They go especially well with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. And if there is a chunk of fresh crusty bread lying around, gobbling them down will be even better.
I hope you give these green beans a try and if it’s a really great day, you’ll add them to your repertoire of meals.
Turkish Style Green Beans (Taze Fasulye)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 carrot cut lengthwise and sliced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and cut in half
- 2 tomatoes crushed
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 20 seconds until nearly translucent. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for another few seconds. Add sliced carrot and saute another 4 minutes.
- Add the green beans and stir fry for 1 minute or until they brighten in color. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the water and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Braise for 30 minutes or until the beans are very soft and the tomatoes have formed a thin sauce. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary and remove from heat. Transfer beans onto a platter and allow them to cool before serving with yogurt and lemon wedges, if desired.