Sesame-Glazed Green Beans

1/2 cup water
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne strips
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Put the green beans and water into a saucepan, and bring the water to a boil. Simmer the beans, uncovered, until they are almost tender and there is just a bit of water left, and then stir in the red pepper strips. Simmer a little longer, until the beans are tender and all of the water has evaporated. Take the pan off the heat.
While the beans cook, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, dry mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Put the green beans back over medium-high heat, and add the soy mixture. Toss until the vegetables are well coated, letting the sauce boil and thicken a bit.
Take the pan off the heat. Drizzle in the sesame oil, and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds, if you are using them. Serve the beans immediately.

Variation: Add Ľ teaspoon chili flakes to the soy mixture to make the dish spicy.

Variation: Sugar snap peas, snow peas, and bok choy (in large slices) are just a few of the other vegetables that can be prepared the same way as this dish.