Green Bean and Pork Szechuan Stir-fry

Frying the beans first gives an authentic texture. Szechuan pepper has a fascinating hot and numbing aromatic flavour that is positively addictive.

Hands-on time 15min.

Cooking time about 15min. Serves 4

● 300g green beans, trimmed

● 2tbsp vegetable oil

● 4 spring onions, chopped

● 2 garlic cloves, crushed

● ½-1tsp chilli flakes

● 1½-2tsp Szechuan peppercorns, lightly crushed

● 400g pork mince

● 100g pak choi or tat soi, stalks shredded, leaves roughly chopped

● 1tbsp sugar

2tbsp soy sauce

1 Slice the beans in 1/2 to make shorter lengths. Heat 11/2tbsp oil in a large wok or deep frying pan over high heat. Add beans and fry, stirring occasionally, for 4-5min, until slightly browned and blistered. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.

2 Add remaining 1/2tbsp oil to the wok/pan. Fry spring onions, garlic, chilli flakes and crushed Szechuan peppercorns for 30sec, stirring. Add pork and stir fry until opaque.

3 Return beans to the wok/pan along with the pak choi/tat soi, sugar and soy sauce. Stir fry for 2-3min, until the vegetables are just tender. Serve with rice or noodles. PER SERVING 264cals, 21g protein, 16g fat (4g saturates), 8g carbs (7g total sugars), 3g fibre