Fresh Bean Salad Recipe

A surprise! The tastiest bean salad I ever remember making!

I BBQ'd 2 ears of Ontario corn and a half of my overgrown pattypan squash, brushed with oil

I steamed approx. 3/4 cup of my own green beans in a shallow layer of water in a covered pan

In the same water I steamed approx. 3/4 cup of Ontario romano beans in water until tender (approx. 5 mins)

As that was all cooking, I diced a small white onion from Derick.

Dressing:

Into the bean steaming water I added

Lemon juice (approx. 2 tbsp)

Sunflower oil (approx. 4 tbsp)

Crushed whole coriander seed (approx. 2 tsp)

Minced fresh ginger (approx. 2 tbsp)

Minced fresh garlic (approx. 2 tbsp)

A pinch of cayenne Pepper

Paprika (approx. 1 tsp)

YUM

Savour Whole Spices...

Sometimes I just get excited about food and feel the need to share...  I think a big part of reconnecting to your food is taking time to really work with your ingredients.  Although none of the ingredients here were local except the garlic, bay leaf, and carrot, I spent the time nourishing myself–a totally worthwhile endeavour. And should totally happen, wherever your ingredients are from.

I started by dry frying the crushed spices-cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, coriander seed, fenugreek, and peppercorns.

 When the smell seeded almost too much to handle, I cranked the love up to 11 and added fresh garlic and ginger to the mix.

 I then added the bottle of passata, coconut milk, bay leaf, curry leaf, and vegetables (sweet potato, onion, and purple carrot) and let it simmer until the veggies were soft (around 40 mins).

Beauty!  Savour spices in their whole form–it elevates basic ingredients to heavenly heights!