Lebanese green beans, “lubie” in Arabic, was one of my favorite fasting dishes as a child in the Middle East. Having a strict Maronite Catholic mama, the 40 days of fasting before Easter was a must. We were not allowed to eat meat (beef, lamb, or chicken); however, fish was allowed. My mother was so strict, she would not eat poultry or beef byproducts, such as eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, or ice cream during Lent. My siblings and I were convinced that if we didn’t follow Mama’s fasting rules, Hell would open its mouth and swallow us up. So, just to be on the safe side, I learned to love and appreciate Mama’s green bean dish.
Making “lubie” is simple and straightforward. This recipe makes 4 small servings. Prep Time: 8 to 10 minutes. Cook Time: 30 minutes. Total Time: approximately 40 minutes
Ingredients for Lubie:
1/3 cup olive oil extra virgin
1 large onion diced
8 garlic gloves crushed
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon allspice powder
1/8 teaspoon chili pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1-pound green beans cut to about 2 inches in length
7 small tomatoes, or 3 large tomatoes.
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
Directions:
- Wash green beans, and boil them in pot for around 8 minutes.
- While boiling the beans, chop onions and fry them with olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat until the onions are tender and begin to brown.
- Add all the spices mentioned above, including the salt.
- After boiling the beans, drain the water out and add the green beans to pan with fried onion. Stir for a few minutes until the beans become light green.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes at medium-low heat until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
- When the beans are tender, remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium-high until the sauce thickens.
You can serve it warm, or at room temperature, with pita bread.
Enjoy it.