French beans with minced pork or chicken

Another vegetable that is ‘allowed’ to be eaten during the confinement month is French beans. The baby variety is much sweeter and very good for using in your baby’s porridge.



They are a rich source of iron, vitamin A, C, riboflavin, thiamin, proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, copper, phosphorous, manganese and dietary fibers.
• Help to prevent anemia and diabetes
• Help to keep a healthy digestive system











French beans (kacang buncis, wu gui tou)
Minced pork or chicken
Chopped garlic
Chopped ginger
Cooking oil
A little sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Steam the beans until cooked
Heat the oil and sauté the garlic until slightly brown. Remove and leave aside.
Heat the sesame oil and sauté the ginger until slightly brown
Add the minced meat and stir fry until thoroughly cooked. Add the salt and pepper.
Dish up and pour over the steamed beans.
Garnish with the fried garlic and serve


Freezing Fresh Green Beans

Fresh green beans can be preserved easily so that you can enjoy their great flavor and nutritional value throughout the year. Freezing is the easiest and less time-consuming way to preserve the fresh summer green beans for a longer time.

Selecting good beans is very important during the freezing process. The beans should be fresh, smooth, bright, crisp and fully-grown beans. The inner beans should be small and tender. Avoid choosing limp and wilted, yellowed and pale, or blemished and wrinkled, tough, lumpy or stringy beans. Bulges and lumps indicate that the beans are over-ripe.

To preserve the freshness and quality of green beans, they should be blanched before freezing. Fresh vegetables usually contain certain enzymes and bacteria, which can change the color, texture and flavor of vegetables and destroy the nutrients, even after freezing. During the blanching process, these enzymes as well as bacteria and dirt are removed.

Steps in freezing the fresh green beans:

• Remove the stem ends of the beans and any strings. Cut the beans into pieces of your choice or leave whole.
• Wash thoroughly in cold water and leave in a big strainer.
• In a large pot, bring the water to boiling point.
• Add green beans to the boiling water, making sure that the beans are completely immersed. Cover the pot and start the timer.
• After 3 to 3 ½ minutes, take out the beans from the boiling water and immediately immerse them in a large pot containing ice water. Cool them for about 3 to 3 ½ minutes to prevent overcooking.
• When the beans are completely cooled, drain them in a big strainer and place them into freezer bags. Press out the air from the bags and seal the bags tightly.
• Frozen green beans should be used within 12 months of packing.