Fried broccoli, beans and tomatoes
This is a common mezze dish in parts of the Middle East — partly because the ingredients are ubiquitous, partly because it’s next to impossible to cook badly. It’s also quite a revelation to taste and see how just a bit of dried mint and garlic really lifts the colourful dish.
The basic ingredients couldn’t be simpler, as is the preparation, which also makes this a particularly good candidate for a lockdown meal.
I tend to cook this for dinner with grilled chicken. It works just as well as a standalone lunch, though, perhaps served with yellow rice. Also, if you want to spice it up a bit, you can add in a teaspoon of harissa paste at the start.
Here goes for four:
INGREDIENTS
½ head of broccoli
2 cups of green beans
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Cup of cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried mint
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Put the broccoli and beans in boiling water for three minutes, drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the onion until nicely fried, and then add in the garlic.
Add tomatoes into the skillet and fry until they start to blister.
Add the broccoli and beans and cook for a few minutes, but not so long that they lose their bite.
Add the dried mint and season with salt and pepper.