Bainak, delicious soft beans and bean pods
This is one of my favorites dishes from the local cuisine where I currently live, which in the province Bizkaia (bay of Biscay).
The basic idea comes from harvesting beans plants at the correct time, when both the pods and the beans are still soft. The pointy tips of the pods are trimmed with a knife. Also, any fibers too strong to chew are stripped.
It it an extremely sparse dish, something I love! Because with such simple dishes, the actual flavor of a certain ingredient can be more readily distinguished and appreciated. I think it helps with eating mindfully and digesting properly.
Soft beans and bean pods with garlic
serves 1
Ingredients
a garlic clove
a tablespoon of olive oil
20-30 soft bean pods
water
Preparation
Trim any stringy ends and strip any tough fiber from the bean pods.
Finely chop the garlic.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Fry the garlic until slightly golden.
(optional) Cut the bean pods into 3-4 pieces.
Add the bean pods together with enough water to cover them.
Boil the beans according to your taste. I like them slightly 'al dente'. If you want them softer, you might need to add more water.
Serve and enjoy!
