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Szechuan-Style Green Beans

These spicy green beans will be the star of your vegetarian meal or complement your meat dish. Either way, everyone will want seconds.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Author Jet Tila

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons 30 ml hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons 30 ml oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons 30 ml Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1/2 tablespoon 22 g brown sugar
  • l teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Green Beans

  • l lb. 450 g green beans, trimmed
  • 4 cups 960 ml canola or peanut oil
  • 1 3/4 cups 200 g cornstarch for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons 30 g Tianjin preserved vegetable or any Chinese preserved vegetables (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons 20 g chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons 18 g chopped ginger

Instructions

For the Sauce

  1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

For the Green Beans

  1. Wash the green beans and drain them thoroughly.
  2. Add the oil to a deep skillet and bring the oil temperature up to 375°F (190°C). Dredge the beans in the cornstarch in a large bowl, knocking off any excess.
  3. Deep-fry the beans for 1 to 3 minutes, until their skins begin to wrinkle but they're still crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
  4. Heat a separate deep skillet or wok to high and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil leftover from deep frying. When you see a few wisps of white smoke, stir in the preserved vegetables, garlic and ginger and brown for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the beans to the pan, folding constantly for about 30 seconds. Stir in the sauce and fold into the beans until well combined. Cook for about 1 minute until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Recipe Notes

Set up a large Dutch oven for the first fry. Use about 4 inches (10 cm) of oil. While frying your beans, have your wok heating up so you can stir-fry immediately.

Serves:4