Long Bean Nests Stuffed with Paneer
Vegetables do not have to be boring! Impress your loved ones with these unique and flavourful Long Bean Nests Stuffed with Paneer, a perfect vegetarian starter for Valentine’s Day dinner. While it’s not the easiest recipe, it’s unique and for more sass, you can call them Love Nests (I’m kidding, don’t do that). You can serve this vegetarian appetizer on any occasion, whether it’s for your special someone or your family or any guests you have coming over. However, since Valentine’s Day is coming soon, this can be your perfect Valentine’s Day Appetizer.
About these delicious long beans
For this delicious vegetarian recipe, I’m using long beans (voem in kreol morisien) from a local producer just some 10 minutes from my home. These Long Beans are grown vertically which allows them to grow even longer with the right technique. The fact that they’re so long allowed me to weave these nests and get the perfect shape. The producer barely uses pesticides in them, relying on Asian traditional techniques that they mastered over time and tested on their plantation. Let me know if you want more details, I’ll DM you his contact details.
Inspiration
For the nests, I took inspiration from Asian Cuisine. The Long Beans are put to boil for a few minutes with salt and pepper and once they’re cooked, I dunked them in an ice bath to maintain the colour and texture.
For the stuffing, I used my mom’s homemade express paneer recipe, but you can use frozen paneer but will need to mash them. If you want my mom’s homemade paneer recipe, comment Paneer Recipe. I added cumin powder to add more flavour along with chopped onions and some garlic.
The result is an elaborate Asian-Indian fusion vegetarian starter that’s unique and different. Plus, it’s a healthy recipe since it’s baked and doesn’t require much oil. The top part easily turns a nice light golden colour without needing any oil or butter.
These Long Bean Nests Stuffed with Paneer are a perfect addition to your list of Unique Appetizer Ideas for Dinner Parties. You can check the video below.
Here’s the recipe card with all the details. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment or DM us on social media. We’re on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Long Bean Nests with Paneer
Ingredients
- 8 Pieces Long Beans
- 125 G Paneer
- 1/2 Onion (chopped)
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic (grated)
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger (grated)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Chilli Powder or Chopped Green Chillis (optional)
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, put your long beans to boil in hot water, seasoned with salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover the long beans. That would take around 5 minutes.
- Next, dunk the cooked long beans in an ice-bath.
- Meanwhile, mash your paneer until smooth, add chopped onions, ginger, garlic, cumin powder and season to your liking with salt and pepper. That’s also when you will add chilli if you want to make it more spicy.
- Weave each long bean carefully. This is a delicate step, so take your time. (I advise you to watch the video to see how to weave these.
- Add the stuffing and flatten with the palm of your hand so it holds well.
- Line your baking sheet with baking paper and brush with very little oil. That’s just so the paneer doesn’t stick. You can opt out but since it was my first time making this, I’m not sure if the paneer will stick or not.
- Place your nests on the sheet. Bake at 160C for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. Serve warm.
Prep in advance
You can make the nests in advance and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them.
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Looking for other appetizers or starters?
Are you looking for other interesting starters or appetizers? If so, check out our Veggie Croquettes Recipe or for something more gourmet, our Spinach & Cream Cheese Vol au Vent will surprise your guests!