Description
This receipt is an ideal light, vegan snack to share and enjoy before a meal or with an aperitif. This recipe serves 2.
Preparation Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
Legumes*, 120g
Fresh cucumber, 1/2
Fresh rocket leaves or coriander, a handful
Green olives, a handful
Capers, a handful
Small pickled gherkins, a few
Fresh dill leaves, a sprinkle
Lime juice, 2-3 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil, a good drizzle
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
- These could be any legumes you have available to you, in China, these tend to be red bean, mung bean, broad bean (lima or fava bean) or butter bean. Broad bean is especially nice in the late spring in China as it’s easily available fresh and organic at local markets, farms and supermarkets.
Preparation
1. Drain and rinse legumes with mineral water. Please Note: some can be eaten raw, like board beans, some must be cooked (like butter beans and red beans), these can be bought tinned or dried and require cooking.
2. Finely chop the cucumber, rocket leaves, olives, capers and gherkins (save a small handful to garnish later if you wish).
3. Toss all ingredients into a blender and add lime juice, dill, salt and pepper.
4. Slowly and continuously add the olive oil whilst blending the ingredients together to make a pâté.
6. Taste and tweak by adding more seasoning or lime juice if you wish. Blend until smooth, garnish and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Optional
Serve with crudités or alternatively spread on toasted rye bread (rubbed with fresh garlic) to make bruschetta instead. Save some chopped vegetables and pickled for garnish on top, as pictured above.
Alternative Options
Add any other pickled vegetables of your choice, like tomato instead of cucumber. You could also substitute with any other beans found in abundance in Chinese supermarkets.
