DRY-FRIED GREEN BEANS
Did you hear the birds this morning? I did, and it’s a sure sign that spring soon will be on its way with its bounty of tender lettuces, asparagus and other green veggies.
Green beans, which are readily available year-round, will help tide you over until then. Here, they’re served up Chinese-style, dry-fried in a wok with ground pork, ginger and soy sauce.
The dish works as an entree, when spooned over rice, but it also can serve as a side for your favorite protein. I used ground pork. ¾ pound green beans
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
4 ounces unseasoned ground pork or ground beef (about ¼ cup) 1 green onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed 1 tablespoon water 1½ teaspoons sugar
Trim green beans and cut in half. Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. Set aside.
Preheat a wok over medium-high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Add ⅓ cup oil and heat for 30-60 seconds or until it starts to shimmer. In batches, add beans to oil in single layer. Quickly stir-fry the beans, gently swishing them around in oil. The skins of the beans will start to blister.
Once most of the beans look lightly wrinkled but not necessarily browned, about 1-2 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the prepared baking sheet to absorb the residual oil. Repeat with remaining beans. Use a wad of paper towels to absorb any residual oil in the wok and brush away any charred pieces. Return wok to stove over high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add pork and, using a spatula, break up the pork. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until brown and cooked through. Add onion, ginger and garlic and stir and toss for a few seconds to combine. Add soy sauce, water and sugar and stir to combine.
Add beans and stir and toss a few minutes to combine. If it doesn’t taste salty enough, add an additional splash of soy sauce, and stir to incorporate. Serve over steamed rice.
Serves 4. — “Chinese Soul Food” by Hsiao-Ching Chou (Sasquatch Books, January 2018, $24.95)