Peixinhos da Horta (Deep Fried Green Beans)

My kids love green beans so the first time I served them this popular portuguese side dish, they couldn't get enough, they literally devoured these faster than I could fry them. Enjoy!

The literal translation of the title of this dish is "little fish from the garden." The name comes from the fact that once the beans are cooked, they resemble a tangle of slender fried fish that are popular in Portugal. Serve them as a side dish, a starter,or even a snack.

Now because I just eyeball things and I've been making these since I was oh, about 14 years old or so, I don't have exact amounts so I am sharing a version of the recipe from Leite's Culinaria.

Peixinhos da Horta

(Deep-Fried Green Beans)
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Note: I sometimes add about half a cup of finely chopped onion, it gives it that extra ZING. :)

INGREDIENTS
1 pound green beans, trimmed
About 4 cups peanut oil, for frying
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Cook the beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool in a bowl of ice water, and drain again.

2. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a large saucepan over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Combine the flour, water, eggs, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl; whisk until a smooth batter forms.

3. Dip six beans at a time into the batter, shaking off any excess. Add the beans to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with more salt and serve hot.