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.