FISHIES FROM THE KITCHEN GARDEN
(Portuguese gastronomy: Peixinhos da horta)

Most of us have probably already eaten "tempura". But do you know where this famous Japanese dish comes from? Well, it was introduced to Japan in the mid-sixteenth century by the Portuguese, together with other dishes such as "panko" and "tonkatsu". The Portuguese recipe from which "tempura" originated is the one I'm sharing today with you - Peixinhos da horta, literally "little fish from the kitchen garden". Kids usually never get enough of these "fishies"; they'll devour them faster than you'll be able to fry them. Enjoy!

© Dulce Rodrigues

Preparation
1 - Rinse the beans and trim the tips.
2 - Place the beans in a medium saucepan with salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then reduce the heat and simmer until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well and blot to remove excess water.
3 - Make a batter of the eggs, flour, wine, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4 - Heat about 1 cup of oil (or olive oil) in a frying pan until hot (but not smoking). Workwith 2 beans at a time, dipping them in the batter. The beans should stick together as they fry, but sometimes you may get one or two that separate. When the beans are a light golden color on both sides, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5 - Serve hot or at room temperature as an appetizer or a side dish.

Source: My grandmother's recipe