SA recipe: Drieboontjieslaai

Okay, the first recipe in this series is Drieboontjieslaai (which means "Three Bean Salad"). It is typical of traditional South African food in that it is tangy and sweet. Trust me, you have to try this salad, it's delicious. Guests usually eye it with suspicion, try it out of politeness, and exclaim in surprise, "This is really good!"

(For your viewing pleasure, I've done this recipe Pioneer Woman style!)

Here are the ingredients: salt, pepper, vegetable oil, vinegar, brown sugar, a can of baked beans, a small can of green beans, a small can of butter beans, garlic, basil (fresh or dried), half of a green pepper. I think you Americans out there call this a bell pepper.



In a small bowl measure out a quarter cup of vinegar. This is the Bean Salad Bowl. Of course I use it for other things, but if I make bean salad it's always in this bowl. Do you also do this? Have a specific bowl and don't think of putting a particular dish in anything else?



Next tip in a third of a cup of brown sugar.



Now add a quarter cup of vegetable oil.



You'll want to add some basil next. Go ahead and use dried if you want, I won't judge you. My basil plant is growing like mad, so I used fresh. Here's a little tip for chopping fresh herbs. Put some in a regular mug:



Then use a clean pair of scissors to just cut like mad in the mug. All of the herbs will get chopped up quickly and cleanly!



Add the basil to the vinegar / oil / sugar and season with salt, pepper and some crushed garlic. Heat the dressing in the microwave for about a minute - this will help the flavours to blend and the sugar to dissolve a little.



Give the dressing a stir, then chuck in a can of baked beans, sauce and all.



Drain a small can of green beans and add the beans.



Drain a small can of butter beans and add them too.



Chop up half a green (bell) pepper and add.



Stir it all up and leave to refrigerate for at least four hours or so.





Copy and paste for a printable recipe:

DRIEBOONTJIESLAAI

Dressing:

1/4 C vinegar
1/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C vegetable oil
basil
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed

Salad:

1 can baked beans
1 small can green beans
1 small can butter beans
half green bell pepper, finely chopped

Mix dressing ingredients. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir again. Add baked beans. Drain and add the green beans and butter beans. Add the green pepper. Stir and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Make ahead: This whole salad can be made up to two days before your dinner party.

To serve at the dinner party: I served this in little glass bowls as a first course.