Gomaae Kacang Hijau (Saus Wijen)

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the beans. Meanwhile, toast 2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes, gently shaking the pan. Be careful not to burn the seeds. Tip: Even if your sesame seeds are pre-toasted/roasted, it's good to toast them again for a nice aroma.
3. With a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder), grind the sesame seeds, leaving some uncrushed to add texture to the sauce.
4. Add 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sugar and mix it all together. The dressing will look more like a paste than a dressing. Set aside.
5. If your green beans are not trimmed, snap the tip of one end of the bean with your fingers and draw it down the length of one side to remove any existing string. Do the same thing with the other end, pulling it down the other side of the bean.
6. To the boiling water, add 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ½ lb green beans.
7. Cook the green beans for 4–5 minutes (or 3–4 minutes for French green beans/haricots verts) until they are bright green and tender but still crunchy.
8. Remove from the heat, place in a strainer, and quickly rinse them in cold water to stop them from cooking further (or you can transfer them to an ice-water bath). You don't need to chill them; the beans should still be warm. Drain or dry well with a clean towel. Then, cut them into pieces 2 inches (5 cm) long. Tip: Shocking the green beans with cold water will help them stay green.
9. Transfer the warm beans to the bowl and toss them in the sesame dressing. Serve the Green Bean Gomaae at room temperature or chilled.
10. Keep the left over in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.