Daz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

We either love them or hate them, but have we really given this bean a fair go? This prolific bean, which seems to take all winter to mature, is finally ready in the garden. Unlike other beans, broad beans or fava beans grow with the beans thrusting upwards.
As a child I used to watch my father tend them in the garden and then scold us for not liking them. In fact, I think all of us kids used to hate them, this was probably due to the fact that they were nearly always overcooked and not one person thought to peel off the leathery grey skin and eat the bright green pod beneath. But that was then and this is now. Now I know there is a two stage process; first blanch the beans in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then peel away the outer thick skin to reveal the tender green beans. All that protection and insulation for a nice green pod.

Somehow I wish I had known that aspect about broad beans when I was growing up, I might have enjoyed them more. The difference in flavour is remarkable, not to mention the texture and I must admit to enjoying both types of preparation depending on the recipe used. So to this week's recipe, which is an adaption of an early vegetarian recipe. You can blanch your beans for just a minute with the skins on for this recipe.

Quick bacon and broad bean curry

Two serves

1kg whole beans processed down to about 1 large cup of blanched beans

3-4 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tbsp cumin powder

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp fennel seed, crushed (mortal and pestle)

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp chilli sauce or to taste (use a Mexican style chilli sauce)

3/4 tub of 220g pottle sour cream

Small bunch coriander, chopped

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Oil or butter for cooking

Method

Cook off onion in a little oil, add all the spices then the bacon and cook down until aromatic, about 5-7 minutes. Add a knob of butter then the broad beans. Add the tomato paste, stir in a little water and simmer briefly while stirring in the sour cream. Reduce till thick and adjust seasoning, stir to prevent catching on the bottom of the pan. Serve with some basmati rice and you're good to go. I like this dish because it has a lot of flavour with the beans and the bacon bound into a butter curry style sauce and it's nice and quick to make. Lower the heat and even the kids may like it.