To prepare the green bean salad, start by bringing a medium sized saucepan of water to boil with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of sugar. Keep a bowl of iced water on the side.
Meanwhile, wash beans well. Top and tail them. Cut diagonally in half to make spears. If the beans are small, then leave them whole.
Once the water in the saucepan is boiling, add the beans to it and boil for 4-5 minutes.
Pass through a colander and plunge into the ice water bowl. This stops the beans from cooking further and retains the bright green colour. After 5 minutes, remove the blanched beans and mop dry with a kitchen towel.
To prepare the dressing for this easy green bean salad, combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously with a fork until thick and creamy. Just before serving, toss beans well in the dressing. Serve immediately.