Categories: Salads, Appetizers, Vegetables 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      1 lb String beans 
           Salt 
      1 c  Niban dashi 
      1 tb Sugar 
           Soy sauce 
      2 ts Sake 
    1/4 ts All purpose soy sauce 
 
----------------------------------DRESSING---------------------------------- 
    1/2 c  White sesame seeds, warmed 
           -- & ground into a paste 
      3 tb Sake 
      2 ts Sugar 
      2 tb All purpose soy sauce 
  
  Snip off & discard the ends of the green beans & cut them into 1/2" 
  lengths.  Drop the beans into 2 c of lightly salted boiling water, 
  reduce the heat to moderate & cook briskly, uncovered, for 8 to 10 
  minutes, or until the beans are tender but still slightly resistant 
  to the bite.  Drain & run them under cold water. 
  In the same pan, combine the dashi, sugar, 1/4 ts salt, a sprinkle of 
  soy sauce, sake.  Bring to a boil over moderate heat, add the string 
  beans & return to the boil.  Remove the pan from the heat & cool to 
  room temperature. 
  DRESSING:  Over high heat, heat 3 tb sake to lukewarm.  Removepan 
  from heat & ignite the sake with a kitchen match, shaking the pan 
  gently until the flame dies out.  Pour the sake into a small bowl & 
  cool to room temperature. 
  Add the sake, 2 ts sugar and 2 tbs soy sauce to the previously 
  prepared sesame paste & mix together thoroughly. 
  Pour the sesame dressing into a large bowl, add the drained string 
  beans & toss together until the vegetables are thoroughly coated. 
  Taste for seasoning adding more salt if necessary.  Serve at room 
  temperature in small bowls, as a first course, salad or part of a 
  Japanese meal.