Madison has a fantastic, award-winning farmers’ market that spans both sides of the four long stretches of sidewalk surrounding the State Capitol grounds. When our kids were young, it was a Saturday morning ritual for our family to trek to the market by 8:30 a.m. to avoid the huge crowds of the late morning and buy veggies. We always ran into people we knew, and the excursion was as much a social outing as a shopping venture. After the market, we’d head to the Civic Center for a free Kids in the Crossroads theater performance.

The market has only increased in popularity over the years, and now it seems even 7 a.m. is too late to avoid the masses. So, we now shop at one of the many smaller markets that have sprung up all over the city. The west-side market we frequent is in a parking lot, but what it lacks in scenic charm is made up for by its convenience and great vendors, many of whom sell organic produce. We were at the market on Saturday when I saw something I had never seen there before.

Madison is home to a large population of Hmong families, and many of these transplanted citizens have continued their family heritage of farming, selling their wares at local markets. In addition to typical vegetables familiar to Midwesterners, they often sell more unusual Asian varieties. As we walked along the row of market stalls, I excitedly rushed up to one that had bunches of long beans. The smiling vendor asked if I’d ever had them, and I said yes, but I’d never seen them at the market before. He laughed and said that’s because most people wouldn’t know what they were! I bought a big bunch for dinner. As we continued walking through the rest of the market, I found Yellow Finn potatoes and Anaheim peppers that drew me in with their fragrance. I started imagining a dish in my head and was really looking forward to dinner. My resulting long bean dish is not authentic Asian fare, but rather a tasty concoction of what I felt like eating, with Asian influences. You could make this with regular green beans if you’re not lucky enough to find long beans at your local Asian market. When cooked, long beans are a bit chewier and firmer than green beans, but still tender.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a 14 oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu, sliced into small slabs

• 2 med. yellow potatoes, 3/4-inch cubes

• 1/2 cup low-sodium veg. broth or water

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• oil (1 tablespoon or less)

• 1 bunch long beans, ends removed, chopped into 2-inch lengths

• 1 green Anaheim pepper, chopped

• 2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

• 1 to 3 teaspoons Sambal Oelek, or red curry paste

• 1 to 3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon natural sugar

• juice of 1/2 lime

• crushed roasted peanuts

Print

Directions

• Place the potatoes and stock in a large wok. Lay the tofu on top of the potatoes. Cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender but still firm. Remove to a plate, scraping out all the stuck on bits with a spatula. (The stock will have evaporated.)
• In a small amount of oil, cook the garlic in the wok. When it starts to turn golden, add the beans and pepper, and stir-fry a few minutes until the beans are crisp-tender.
• Add the potatoes and tofu, tomatoes, sambal, soy sauce and sugar, and stir-fry a minute or two until the tomatoes are hot. Check seasonings.
• Mix in the lime juice and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with peanuts.
• If desired, pass small bowls of chopped cilantro, chopped parsley and extra peanuts at the table.