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Green beans and egg | Lobya chigirtmasi

Lobya chigirtmasi - Green beans and egg
The word chigirtma (çığırtma) in the name of a dish means that it includes eggs.

Runner beans, also known as string beans, are plentiful in Azerbaijan in summer and are the most commonly used type of bean in this dish.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 kg/2.2 lbs of green beans (runner beans, string beans, French beans or dwarf beans)
  • 2 to 3 eggs (or more if you prefer a stronger egg flavour)
  • 2 tbspns melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 2 medium-sized onions
  • 1 saucer of finely chopped herbs (any combination of coriander, dill, purple basil and other herbs)
  • salt & pepper
  • pinch of turmeric
  • To serve:
  • plain yoghurt
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic

Preparation

  • Top and tail the beans and cut finely into pieces approximately 0.5 cm/0.2″ long.
  • Peel and chop the onions and fry in butter or vegetable oil until soft.
  • Add the chopped beans and mix well. Add 1 glass of hot water and salt & pepper. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 35 minutes until the beans are soft. If you prefer your beans al dente, shorten the cooking period.
  • Beat the eggs as for an omelette and add salt and a pinch of turmeric.
  • Add the beaten eggs to the beans and onion and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes or so until the eggs are firm.
  • Crush or finely chop 1 or 2 cloves of garlic and add to plain yoghurt. Serve the beans and egg with the yoghurt and fresh bread.

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