Fried green beans, battered and deep fried are called peixinhos da horta in Portuguese. Literally translated this means little fish from the garden. They appear like the slender sardines and other small fish they also love to fry in Portugal. It was this type of battering of fried green beans that was introduced to the Japanese. They called it tempura and perfected it.
You can use this recipe on just about any vegetable or fish. Fried green beans are light and to be honest just about everything tastes good deep fried. I really like to use a deep fryer for this recipe as it helps to keep the oil at a consistent temperature and it just seems like they cook faster and are less oily. This is the deep fryer I use and I love it, you can check it out here.
Did you know that the Portuguese also introduced Catholicism to Japan way back in the 16th century? The word tempura is derived from the Latin word "tempora" which refers to "The Ember days" when Catholics refrain from eating meat.
Portugal is an intriguing country whose cuisine touched shores all around the world. They introduced chilies to the Asians, tea to the British, vindaloo to India and yes, tempura to the Japanese.
If you love this Portuguese fried green bean recipe be sure to check the other authentic recipes we enjoyed as part of our International Cuisine meal. You can get the recipes plus learn more about this fascinating country by checking out “Our Journey to Portugal”.
Craving even more? Be sure to join the culinary and cultural journey around the world so you don’t miss a thing, it’s free, You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook , Pinterest and youtube to follow along our journey.
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Fried Green Beans (Peixinhos da horta)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 pound green beans
- 3 cups oil for frying
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions:
- 1) Bring a saucepan with a cup of water and a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the beans to the pot of boiling water and cook until almost tender but still slightly crisp, about 2 minutes.
- 2) Remove the beans once done and transfer them to a bowl with cold water for about a minute. Once done, place them on paper towels to dry.
- 3) Now heat the oil in a deep fryer or a large saucepan to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4) Combine the flour, cup of water, eggs, baking powder, salt in a bowl and whisk until the batter reaches a smooth and even consistency.
- 5) One by one, dip the green beans in this batter and then immediately fry them in the fryer until golden brown. Once each one is done using tongs place them on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
- 6) Sprinkle the deep-fried green beans with salt and pepper to taste and serve once done.
Nutrition
