Amma’s Tahini Green Beans
A recipe full of love
This is a recipe my mom has been making for decades. When our son was little he ate his weight in them! In fact, I often put them in his lunch box for school and it would be licked clean by the time he came home.
When we’d visit my parents during summer in upstate NY, my mom took our son out to the garden to pick fresh green beans for dinner to made his favorite dish!
Why Amma’s Green Beans? My mom and stepdad let our son decide what to call them when he could first talk. He came up (on his own!) with Amma for my mom/his grandmother and Babo for my stepdad/his grandfather (who happens to be 100% Italian).
Ingredients
1 lb (or more) fresh organic green beans
1 – 2 garlic cloves crushed in a press or finely minced
1 – 2 Tbs. sesame tahini
1 –2 Tbs Soy Sauce or tamari
Instructions
Pour enough water to cover the bottom of a wide pan with a lid. Turn burner to medium high, and once it gets hot and steamy add the beans and put the lid on. Steam the beans for about 7 or 8 minutes , checking periodically to make sure all the water has not evaporated (add a little more if necessary to avoid burning), and cook until the beans are al dente (still crispy and bright green) – do not overcook!
Carefully (use hot mitts) hold pan over sink, cock the lid and drain out the water. It’s ok if a little water remains. While beans are still steaming, toss garlic over hot beans and stir, drizzle the tahini and tamari over everything, and stir until beans are coated.
Serve hot, but it’s also delicious as a cold snack.
