Name: String Bean Stew (Yakhni fassoulia)
Cuisine: Palestinian
Ingredients: 800 g string beans, fresh or frozen; 3 tomatoes; 2–3 tbs tomato paste; ¾ tsp allspice (You can substitute the pepper and allspice with 2 tsp of mixed spices); 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) beef or 1 kg–1.2 kg (2 lb 4 oz–2 lb 11 oz) lamb, cut up in chunks for stew; 1 tsp pepper; 1 whole onion; 3–4 tbs vegetable oil; 2 tsp salt

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Classic Palestinian Cuisine

By Christiane Dabdoub Nasser

Published 2000

About

Lamb meat is usually cooked with the bone; this goes for all stews. A favourite cut is the breast, which is carved into double cutlets, that is two ribs for every portion. When nicely trimmed, it is not as fatty as the shoulder. Some people will prefer to add ¼ tsp cinnamon and a tsp of nutmeg as lamb has a much stronger flavour.

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) beef or 1 kg

Method

In a large pan, brown the meat with the onion in hot oil. Add the salt and spices and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to the boil then let it simmer for 60–70 minutes. The amount of time can vary according to the type and cut of meat you use. It is to be noted that lamb cooks faster than beef; however, it is always better to consult your butcher. Remove the strings, then wash the beans an