It’s been a difficult year for growing runner beans. Too hot and the flowers will not set. But our French beans have done fairly well especially the climbing ‘Blue Lake’ variety.

Here’s a recipe I like which makes good use of green beans together with red pepper. You can make it more or less spicy with varying amounts of cayenne. This recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s ‘Eastern Vegetarian Cooking”. No idea who Zakiya was…

Zakiya’s Green Beans cooked with Mustard Seeds and Red Pepper

Serves 6

• 675g fresh green beans
• 5 tbs vegetable oil
• Pinch asafoetida
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp urid dal
• 2 red peppers
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 30g freshly grated or dessicated coconut

Trim the beans and cut into 25mm lengths. Let them refresh in cold water for 20 minutes. Chop the deseeded red peppers into similar lengths.

Heat the oil in a saute pan over a medium heat. When hot add the asafoetida then the mustard and cumin seeds and the urid dal. Stir once then add the red peppers and cayenne. Stir again then add the green beans. Turn the heat down and mix well.

Cover and simmer until the beans are nearly cooked to your taste. I like mine with a little bite! Remove the cover and turn up th heat evaporate any remaining liquid. This is a dry dish. Turn the heat off and add the coconut, stir and serve.