Bakla

I also made fresh bakla (baby fava beans still in the pod) last night - one of my hubby's favorites! This is one of Turkey's olive oil based vegetables served cold with a good dose of really good yoğurt I love their yoğurt with kaymak [a thick cream] on top! It's certainly not the least fattening, but it's not something I can get at home so I splurge. I've never found fresh bakla, but you can do the same thing with other types of green beans and use regular yoğurt if you would like. These are really good in the summer.

2 lbs. fresh bakla (or other beans in their pod), stringed, ends clipped

1/2 lemon, squeezed

1/2 Tablespoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

2 small or 1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic pieces, chopped

1 pot of boiling water

1 handful of fresh dill

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried mint

As you clean the beans, drop into a bowl of water with the lemon juice and salt. Add olive oil to large pot, heat slightly, add chopped onion and chopped garlic and saute until soft. Add beans and continue to saute another 5 minutes. Add BOILING HOT water just enough to cover beans, add dill, mint, sugar, and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Add more salt to taste.

Affiyet olsun!