Portuguese Fried Green Beans with Batter • Peixinhos da Horta Rústicos

Peixinhos da Horta, which translates to “Little Fish from the Garden,” is a cherished Portuguese snack that has stood the test of time. Despite its name, this dish contains no fish heheheh it is from the garden! Instead, it’s composed of green beans dipped in a simple batter and fried to crispy perfection. Normally these are dipped and fried one by one, this version is a bit more rustic frying spoon fulls of green beans with the batter, so almost like little green bean pancakes.

Oh and this rustic treat is so beloved that it even inspired the famous Japanese tempura. In the 16th century, Portuguese sailors introduced Peixinhos da Horta to Japan, where it evolved into the tempura we know today. Its easy to see that the simplicity and deliciousness of this dish have contributed to its enduring popularity.

Also since today we celebrate Portugal’s Freedom Day on April 25th, a day marking the peaceful Carnation Revolution of 1974 that restored democracy, nothing like preparing a traditional Portuguese dish like Peixinhos da Horta as a delightful way to honor Portuguese heritage. This quick and rustic version brings a touch of history and flavor to your table, perfect for commemorating this significant occasion or if you just want a wonderful snack! ;D Let’s check the recipe!

Portuguese Fried Green Beans with Batter • Peixinhos da Horta Rústicos

Servings: 4
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Nothing like a big pile of rusting portuguese fried green beans, it's one of those savoury snacks that is loved by all, you can have it before a meal, as a snack, for a picnic, i've had them in the beach, and in fancy restaurants it's just pure delight!

Ingredients

Green Beans – 500gr
Flour – 4 tablespoons (Full)
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
Milk – 100ml
Eggs – 2
Pepper – A pinch
Salt – A pinch
Vegetable Oil – As needed to fry

Directions

Cut off the ends of the beans, if they’re too large cut them in half or into three parts, cook them in a pan with plenty of water and a pinch of salt until they’re tender but not completely cooked, drain and set aside to cool.
Now you’re going to make the batter, put the sifted flour and baking powder in a bowl, add the eggs in as well and mix from the inside out.
Finally add the olive oil and milk and season with pepper and salt, and whisk until you get a homogeneous, liquid but thick batter. Think of honey as a good liquid for its thickness, if it’s too liquid add a little more flour if it’s too thick add a little water to the mixture, when it’s ready seal it with cling film and leave it to rest for about 30 minutes.
Bring the oil to frying temperature, you want a medium-high heat (if you are unsure then just put a piece of bread in the oil when it starts bubbling, then it’s ready), then take the beans and add them to the batter, mix gently.
When the oil is hot, add spoonfuls of the bean paste with the batter and fry until both sides are golden, don’t put too much in the pan so the oil doesn’t cool down, try the first “pataniscas” to see if the salt and pepper are just right and adjust if need be.
Repeat until you have no more, then leave the pataniscas to rest on a rack or kitchen paper, to drain and that’s it, ready to serve and delight! Enjoy!

Notes: These are great just freshly fried, but unlike most fried food, they are also amazing cold, thats why its common to see them as snacks for picnics and other festivities, also unlike tempura there is no big emphasis to make it super crispy, because it will lose its crispness very quickly like japanese tempura.

Also like tempura there are different recipes, this is the most typical, but there are recipes that instead of milk, use water, sparkling water, beer, etc so there are more options to explore.

This recipe for Portuguese Fried Green Beans with Batter • Peixinhos da Horta Rústicos was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Peixinhos da Horta Fofinhos foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.