Turkish Green Beans (Fasulye) with Dukkah Roasted Tofu
Recipe for a quick version of a Turkish dish of green beans stewed in tomatoes with some added spice. Add tofu roasted in Egyptian dukkah to the top to turn it into a delicious vegan meal. Serve in pitta bread or on a bed of rice.
Street food in the UK, I’m very glad to say, is on the up and up. Hot dogs and burgers made with cheap and often unhealthy ingredients are making way for fresher and more vibrant fare.
With this in mind Cauldron Foods set a challenge to create a street food recipe using one of their vegetarian products. Cauldron Cumberland sausages have long been a favourite of mine, but I’m less familiar with their tofu. Sausages, I thought would be too easy, so I opted for the tofu.
Turkish Green Beans
But, the big question was, what to do with it?
In the end it was easy. I had a first picking of French beans (very exciting) and some tomatoes in need of using up. I decided to make a dryish version of zeytinyağli taze fasulye. This is a Turkish dish, otherwise known as green bean and tomato stew. All I then needed to do was top it with roasted tofu.
Served in a split wholemeal pitta bread, this would make perfect street food I reckoned – healthy, tasty and attractive. As it happened, we ate ours at home atop a bed of brown rice. Another street food option, though not quite as convenient.
Dukkah Roasted Tofu
Last year I made chocolate dukkah for a six course chocolate dinner and it was a roaring success. As I’d made quite a big batch of it, I froze it in little tubs and have been using it ever since. Dukkah is an Egyptian blend of coarsely ground nuts, seeds, spices and herbs that is traditionally used, along with a bowl of olive oil, to dunk bread in.
It also makes a good dip for quails eggs and works well added to roasted vegetables. It’s time has now come to try it out with tofu.
When you make this recipe, set aside half an hour to marinade the tofu before you start doing anything else. It takes very little hands on time, but you do need to factor it in.
Having tried it, I could only wonder why I hadn’t done so before. It’s a fabulous way to cook tofu. Luckily, as I’m unable to source this product in town, I bought an extra pack, so this will be appearing on our supper table again very soon.
In fact the whole meal was delicious. Fasulye makes a regular appearance on our table at this time of year, but I’ve never eaten it with tofu before. The flavours and textures are complementary and it makes for a filling and satisfying vegan dish.
Tofu Top Tip
Unless you buy extra firm tofu, you’ll need to press the tofu for twenty minutes to half an hour to extract some of the liquid. This makes it firmer which means it will a) soak up any marinade better and b) have a crispier texture when roasted.
Cauldron Street Food Competition
I am of course entering these Turkish green beans with dukkah roasted tofu into the Cauldron Street Food Competition. You never know the £200 prize might be mine!
October 2014 Update. Amazingly I did win the prize – hooray!
Other Green Bean Recipes You Might Like
- Green beans with almonds & crème fraîche
- Japchae – Korean glass noodle stir-fry
- Pesto green beans
- Spicy peanut butter noodles with smoked tofu
Other Tofu Recipes You Might Like
- Beer battered to fish (vegan fish)
- Maple tofu skewers
- Miso marinated tofu
- Teriyaki rice bowl with tofu
- Tofu lettuce tomato sandwich
- Tofu scramble
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this Turkish green bean dish, with or without the tofu, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Turkish Green Beans. PIN IT.
Turkish Green Beans (Taze Fasulye) with Dukkah Roasted Tofu
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin)
- 4 clove garlic chopped
- 400 g fresh tomatoes (or use a tin of chopped ones)
- 1 fresh red chilli deseeded if less heat desired and finely chopped
- 1 kg French beans (or other green beans) – topped and tailed
- 1 tsp honey
- 400 g firm tofu drained (I used Cauldron)
- 3 tsp soy sauce (I use tamari)
- 2 tbsp dukkah if you want to make your own, here's my homemade dukkah recipe
- a few sprigs basil leaves torn
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6).
- Drain the tofu and press, if needed, to extract as much liquid as possible. Cube into bite sized chunks. Place in a bowl.400 g firm tofu
- Stir 1 clove of chopped garlic, the soya sauce and dukkah into the tofu and leave to marinade for 30 minutes.3 tsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp dukkah
- Place 2 tbsp of olive oil in a roasting tray and warm in the oven. Add the tofu and turn the pieces so they are all covered in oil. Roast at 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6) for about 20 minutes until golden.
- Meanwhile roughly chop the tomatoes.400 g fresh tomatoes
- In a large pan, fry the remaining garlic and chilli in the oil over moderate heat for a minute. Add the tomatoes and leave to cook for five minutes or so.1 fresh red chilli
- Meanwhile, cut the beans into pieces about 4 cm long, then boil in some salted water until nearly tender (about 3 minutes). Drain the beans, but reserve the water.1 kg French beans
- Add the beans with a little of the water to the tomatoes along with the honey (do not add water if using tinned toms). Cover and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce shouldn’t be too wet.1 tsp honey
- Serve with the tofu scattered over the top of the fasulya, then scatter with torn basil.a few sprigs basil leaves
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing Turkish Green Beans
Vanesther over at Bangers & Mash is allowing us to use whatever spice we want for this month’s Spice Trail. I used chilli in my zeytinyağli taze fasulye and the dukkah roasted tofu contains spices too. So I’m submitting that.
The basil was a last minute inspiration and I’m so glad I used it as it gave yet another welcome dimension to this dish. Having used it, I am sending my Turkish green beans off to Karen at Lavender and Lovage who is looking for beautiful basil for her Cooking with Herbs event.
The green beans and garlic are both home grown and the basil and tomatoes were in our occasional veg box. As such I’m entering my fasulye to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary for her Shop Local.
As the tomatoes were in dire need of being used up, I’m also sending this Turkish green bean dish off to Anne’s Kitchen as she hosts this month’s No Waste Food Challenge on behalf of Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary.
Using home grown produce as well as my tip for making dukkah in a large batch and freezing it in small portions makes this eligible for Credit Crunch Munch. This is hosted by Sarah of Maison Cupcake this month.
I was sent a £2 voucher from Cauldron Foods to buy one of their products. There was no requirement to write a positive review and as always, all opinions are my own.
What a clever idea. I’m always looking for new things to try with tofu and this really was brilliant. The flavours of the dukkah really shone through, which doesn’t always happen when you roast tofu so i was really pleased about that. Thank you.
Oh I know what you mean. Tofu can be disappointing sometimes. Glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for letting me know.
These Turkish green beans were such a delicious dish to make for dinner. The Dukkah you added is seriously a game changer and gives the dish so many earthy and nutty flavors. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Thank you Anaiah. I’m in love with a lot of food, but dukkah is one of my favourites.
This is a tasty, well-rounded meal! I love all the colors and flavors!
Thank you. It’s a good one for summer.
Congratulations on your win! I love the idea of the cocoa in the dukkah.
Thanks Corina – I was thrilled. And the cocoa dukkah is delicious.
Tofu has such a bad name its great to see it used in something so tasty looking! Thank you for sending into July’s No Waste food Challenge!
Anne
x
Yes you are right Anne. It’s not something I use that often, but it can be delicious.
That dish looks delicious and sounds luvly to me. Another fine way to use tofu.
Thanks Chris – rarely think to buy tofu, but when it’s dressed up it can make for an easy and delicious supper.
Good luck in the contest, this sounds like a winner to me! I love that chocolate made it into your dukkah recipe, fabulous!
Thanks Jayne. I’m not actually sure my entry has even registered!!!
What a fab recipe! Thanks for sharing with the no waste food challenge 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth – it was very tasty 🙂
This sounds amazing, can’t believe I’d not come across it before. I must get back into using my dukkah as I had two jars earlier in the year and only used one.
Thanks for adding to Credit Crunch Munch this month. It looks like my kind of dinner 🙂
The round up is now published at 24 Thrifty Summer Recipe Ideas and next month’s event is being hosted by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary.
Thanks Sarah. Your round-up looks so very tasty.
Wow – this sounds absolutely divine. Is it too late to start cooking?! (It’s 12:42am lol).
Great recipe!
Louise x
Never too late to start cooking Lousie 😉
I really like dukkah and your recipe really really appeals, I am hoping to give it a go this weekend, providing I remember to pick up some hazelnuts
Hope you like it Shaheen – let me know.
Love this recipe! I’m a huge fan of middle eastern cuisine and have their staple ingredients always in my cupoboard 😉
Oh fabulous – me and you both Sylvia 🙂
Wow, what an incredibly idea. Love the look of the tofu and can’t wait to try chocolate Dukkah – such an inspired creation. So hope that £200 is yours – you deserve it! And a great entry for this month’s #TheSpiceTrail too 🙂
Oh thank you Vanesther, you’ve just put a big smile on my face 🙂
Such an interesting idea. I used dukkah for the first time this year and loved it. I bet my cocoa flaxseed mix would work well with added spices. I’m going to give it a go. Thanks for the inspiration. Never a fan if tofu unless it’s heavily spiced and then crispy so I am so intrigued!
Oh yes Dom, I bet it would. Give it a go and don’t forget to let me know what you think. I’m sort of with you on the tofu.
The Lebanese have a version of this stew as well and I adore it. Hope you win the competition.
Yes Bintu, I think it’s really a general Middle Eastern dish. I came across it any number of times in Egypt.
Tofu is a fab ingredient and definitely makes for a great street food recipe. Love the Dukkah…… great idea to add a chocolate hit!
Thanks Kate AND gluten free too 🙂
Street food is just so good – and the ability to cook it at home? Bookmarked!
Good street food is good Emma – some of it still has a way to go though.
Think it goes without saying that this is totally up my street and I wouldn’t have thought of using chocolate in this nutty spice mix but oh my goodness why didn’t I think of this myself. In very impressed x
Thanks Deena – I am tuned to chocolate, so “would chocolate work with this: is often my first thought 😉
Chocolate dukkah sounds so delicious & roasted with the tofu, what a fab idea.
Thanks Sarah 🙂
This sounds really yummy, I love cauldron tofu 🙂
It’s definitely one of the better one’s I’ve tried Sarah.
That dukkah (I will remember it by thinking of it as “dunker” !) looks superb, and I shall try it out myself for sure. Thanks for the yummy recipe 🙂 PS: Hope you win!
Thank you, that’s very kind. I like your appellation “dunker” – good one.
LOVE how you incorporated chocolate into your own Dukkah mix Choclette, as only you can do with such skill and aplomb! GREAT recipe and thanks for squeezing this into Cooking with Herbs! Karen xxxx
Haha thank you Karen – plenty of skill and aplomb me!
That sounds good! I like the Cauldron smoked tofu – it goes nice and crunchy around the edges when you fry it.
Oh that’s interesting Alicia, I didn’t know they did smoked tofu. Obviously not where I bought this!