This richly flavoured green bean dish comes from Ethiopia. I used a selection of mixed tomatoes from the farmers' market, but you can use tinned tomatoes if that's easier. If so, you don't need to roast them. Just add a couple of chopped cloves of garlic to the mix when you add the chilli, then add the tomatoes to the pan after the spices and before the veg. If you have Berbere spice mix to hand, it works well in this dish: just add a teaspoon or two instead of the other spices. Serves 4
Ingredients
500g tomatoes, roughly chopped (or a tin if easier)
4 cloves garlic, skin on, lightly bashed to split each clove (or see note above)
4 tbs vegetable oil
4 large potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into bite-size chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into fingers
250g green beans, topped and cut into long pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
1 chilli pepper, deseeded and chopped (to taste)
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp crushed fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or more or less to taste)
Method
Heat oven to 200C. Put the tomatoes and the garlic cloves in a roasting tin. Drizzle with some of the oil, season with salt and pepper, and put in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes.
Put the potato chunks a large saucepan, cover with water and boil until tender - about 10-15 minutes. Add the carrots after 5 minutes and the green beans for the last couple of minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or deep-sided frying pan, heat the rest of the oil over medium heat. Add onions and fry gently for a few minutes, then stir in the chilli and other spices (and garlic, if using at this stage). Stir round to stop everything sticking.
Take the tomatoes out of the oven, rescue the garlic cloves and tip the tomatoes into the pan. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin (it should be a sweet, sticky pulp), and add it to the pan. Mix everything together and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add the potatoes, carrots and green beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so to allow the flavours to blend. Serve.
