- Stir-Fried Szechwan Green Beans

STIR-FRIED SZECHWAN GREEN BEANS


2 T soya sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp dry mustard
2 T water
2 T vegetable oil
1 lb green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
¼ lb. ground pork
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 T)
1 T minced fresh ginger
3 green onions, white and light green parts, sliced thin
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

In small bowl, stir together soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, white pepper, pepper flakes, mustard and water until sugar dissolves; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until just smoking. Add beans and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender and skins are shriveled and blackened in spots, 5 to 8 minutes (reduce heat to medium-high if beans darken too quickly). Transfer beans to large plate.

Reduce heat to medium-high and add pork to now-empty skillet. Cook, breaking pork into small pieces, until no pink remains, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir sauce to recombine and return beans to pan with sauce. Toss and cook until sauce is thickened, 5 to 10 seconds. Remove pan from heat and stir in green onions and sesame oil. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.

Vegetarian version:

Substitute 4ozs. of shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and minced, for the pork. If using mushrooms, you will need to add a tsp. of oil to the pan in step 3 before adding the mushrooms.