I heave a big sigh and start cutting, a victim of my own success... How many pounds of green beans will I be making this year? That is yet to be determined but it's at least 4 pounds (1.81 kg). On the plate, they just look like shiny green beans but wow!

A Green 'Bean' Christmas

It probably started 7 years ago, or maybe longer. Just before Christmas, my mother announced to me that for our Christmas dinner, I should take total responsibility for the green beans. I smirked inwardly at this, thinking it had only taken me 50 years to gain her trust. But cooking wasn't a problem and green beans weren't a problem. Just realize that at Christmas, I'm cooking in her kitchen.

I immediately knew I wanted to make my "magic beans." They're actually Gujerati-style green beans, Indian food, but I named them "magic" for the embarrassingly positive reception they get. Picture being invited to Thanksgiving dinner and ten guests rave over your green beans while praise for the main course is an afterthought. Picture this happening every time.

Who raves over green beans?
Apparently, everyone.

I tested her first. "Can I make any style I want?"

"They're your beans. You can do what you want."

Wow, she was serious. That Christmas, I changed our bean recipe and my family tried Gujerati-style Green Beans for the first time. The crowd loved them! I made exactly the same quantity Mom always made of her Green Beans Almondine, 1 pound (.45 kg), and there were no leftovers.

The next Christmas, my nieces and nephews were already asking if I was making the beans again. That year, I made 2 pounds (.91 kg) because, well, we like balance in our leftovers. We still laugh at the nephew who walked up to the buffet, skipped the turkey, and sat down again with only sweet potato casserole and green beans on his plate. Again, there were no leftover green beans.

That's just 1/2 pound, above. I have since wondered at the quantities of green beans others make. For our crowd of around 24, we have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, turnip and apple casserole, salad, pickles, cheeses, nuts, pumpkin pie, and all kinds of Christmas goodies. How many green beans do we really need?

On the third Christmas, I made 3 pounds (1.36 kg) of beans. That's 3 pounds of beans for roughly 24 people. Finally, we had leftovers... and this was the quantity I had been making. Then last Christmas, there were none left over. Now what? Am I making 4 lbs (1.81 kg) or going straight to 5 (2.27 kg)?!!!

Part of me still doesn't understand the wide appeal of these beans. I mean, the beans are good, but everybody loves them. And my one nephew asked me, in July, if I would be making them again at Christmas!

The Antidote to PTC?

Apparently in this world, not everyone likes green vegetables and there may be a scientific reason for this. There is a chemical, Phenylthiocarbamide or PTC that you can either taste or not with your ability genetically determined. Apparently, those who can taste it think it's dreadfully bitter and scientists say green vegetables have traces of it. This might explain why green vegetables taste bitter to some people. I say "apparently" because in a long ago high school biology class, we all had a chance to try it. I sat and chewed a bland tasting little wad of PTC soaked paper while watching my classmates gagging and spitting it out all around me! I just wonder if something in this recipe, maybe the mustard seed, contains the antidote!

Don't be afraid to try these beans. Meat and potato types love them every bit as much as the foodies and it has become our goto green bean recipe for every. single. occasion. I have other green bean recipes to try but my mom said I would face a lynch mob if I messed with them!

Gujerati-style green beans

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (.45 kg) green beans
• 4 tablespoons (60 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) whole black mustard seeds (Try to find the small ones. Other mustard seeds work but these are the best.)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2-1 hot, dried chilli, coarsely crushed (optional, I don't use it)
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the beans to the desired size and blanch them until tender, rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium. When hot, add the mustard seeds.
3. As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop, put in the garlic. Stir the garlic around until it is light brown.
4. The chilli goes in next if you are using it. Stir it around.
5. Now add the beans, sugar and salt. Turn the heat down to medium low for about 7-8 minutes, while stirring so the beans absorb the flavours.
6. Finish with freshly ground pepper.

Madhur Jaffrey

Indian actress and cookbook author, Madhur Jaffrey, deserves all the credit for these beans. She is the one known for introducing the UK to cooking Indian food. She also introduced it to me with her television show and I bought her book, "Indian Cookery," from it. I own two of her books. Everything is good in those books!

References

Madhur Jaffrey
Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) tasting

Images

From the iPad of @kansuze.

Enjoy!
@kansuze