Spicy Garlic Green Beans

 

Spicy Garlic Green Beans

Spicy green beans, served in Chinese restaurants, is difficult to reproduce at home, so I came up with my own recipe. To retain crispness in the green beans, they are tossed with besan or chickpea flour and fried before stir-frying. If you prefer to use green beans without the besan, make sure the oil is very hot before frying them so that they remain crisp.

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh green beans, cut in 2" lengths

2 Tbsp. besan or chickpea flour (optional)

1/4 lb. ground chicken or pork

4-5 rashers of bacon, cut in strips

1 medium onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 tsp. roasted chili flakes

2 Tbsp. light soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

salt to taste 

Directions

1. Brown ground meat and set aside.
2. Bring some salted water to a boil and blanch green beans for 2 minutes.
3. Drain and toss with besan (optional).
4. Heat oil over medium-high heat and fry green beans for 2 minutes.
5. Remove green beans and oil from skillet and set aside.
6. Stir-fry bacon and garlic until fat is rendered from bacon.
7. Add onions, chili flakes and stir-fry until onions soften.
8. Add ground meat, return green beans with oil to skillet and fry for a minute.
9. Pour soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil into skillet and toss until combined.
10. Add salt to taste and transfer to a serving dish.
11. Garnish with sesame oil and serve over steamed long-grain rice.