Instructions

1. Place the beans in a bowl and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Drain the beans and rinse them well. Add the soaked beans to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Add the sage, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a boil over medium high heat. As any white foam rises to the surface, use a shallow spoon or small ladle to remove and discard it. Reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the olive oil. Cook, stirring often until the beans are tender all the way through but not falling apart, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Allow the beans to cool to room temperature in the liquid for about an hour. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
3. Add enough vegetable and olive oil to a medium saucepan to come 1 inch up the sides. Heat over medium high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
4. Drain the 1 1/2 cups of beans in a colander. Spread the beans out on a paper towel lined tray and pat them dry. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice flour and toss well to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice flour, sparkling water and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. The batter should be loose. Place a handful of beans in the batter. Use your hands to remove the coated beans to a slotted spoon. Allow the excess batter to drip off into the bowl. Place the lightly coated beans in the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a clean slotted spoon, remove the beans to a paper towel lined tray and season with a pinch of salt. Don’t worry if a few beans fall apart or some of the batter slips off. Those are also tasty crunchy pieces. Continue with the remaining beans. Be sure to stir the batter before each use as the rice flour tends to settle to the bottom. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.