Green beans with sesame and coriander

Ingredients: 750g (11/2 lbs) green beans 1 tsp salt 4 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 4 cloves garlic 1in cube fresh ginger 3 tbsp roasted sesame seeds small bunch fresh coriander 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp each black and cayenne pepper M

Ingredients:

750g (11/2 lbs) green beans

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

4 cloves garlic

1in cube fresh ginger

3 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

small bunch fresh coriander

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp each black and cayenne pepper

Method:

Green beans seem to stand up well to spices, which bring out their flavour rather than swamping it.

Try to buy organic beans for an even better taste. If you like hot food, increase the amount of cayenne, if not, leave it out. Enough for four helpings.

Dry-roast the sesame seeds by heating in a frying pan without oil until they start to turn golden. Put the seeds into a blender or coffee grinder and grind to a coarse powder.

Trim the beans and cut into 1in pieces. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the beans, cook for a few minutes until tender but still slightly crisp, then drain and run cold water over them to keep the green colour. Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger, and chop the coriander.

Just before serving, heat the oil in a frying pan. When it is hot, add the mustard seeds,, garlic, and ginger, stir and fry for a minute, or until the garlic starts to brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and the beans together with 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well and heat through, then serve immediately.

JUDY BROADWAY