MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans
Categories: Chinese
Yield: 2 servings

MMMMM---------------------------SAUCE--------------------------------
2 tb Shaoxing wine; (or dry
-sherry)
1 tb Soy sauce
1 ts Sugar

MMMMM--------------------------STIR FRY-------------------------------
3 tb Vegetable oil
1 lb (450 grams) green beans;
-tough ends removed
1/2 lb (220 grams) ground pork
-(*Footnote 1) (Optional)
3 tb Sichuan pickled mustard
-greens; (Sui Mi Ya Cai)
-(*Footnote 2) (Optional)
1/2 ts Salt; (or to taste)
1 ts Whole Szechuan peppercorn
3 Dried chili peppers;
-(*Footnote 3)
1 tb Garlic; minced
1 ts Ginger; minced

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set
aside. Dry the green beans thoroughly before cooking to prevent oil
splatter.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over
medium high heat until hot. Add the green beans and stir to coat well
with oil. Spread the beans to prevent them from overlapping, as much
as possible. Flip every 15 seconds or so. Cook and stir until the
surface is mostly brown and withered, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn to
medium heat if the pan starts to smoke too much. Remove the pan from
the stove. Transfer the green beans to a plate and set aside.
(*Footnote 4)

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the Sichuan peppercorns to the
pan. Cook over medium heat until the peppercorns turn dark. Scoop out
and save for later. (*Footnote 5)

Add the ground pork, Sichuan pickled mustard greens, and 1/4 teaspoon
salt. Cook and chop the pork to separate it into small pieces. When
the surface of the pork turns golden, add the dried chili pepper,
garlic, and ginger. Stir a few seconds to release the fragrance.

Add back the green beans and pour the sauce over them. Cook and stir
until the sauce is mostly absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the stove and taste a green bean. If it's not
salty enough, add a pinch more salt, return the pan to the stove, and
stir to mix well. Transfer everything to a plate.

Serve hot on top of rice as a main, or as a side.

Footnote 1)

The purpose of ground pork is to add flavor, although I did use a bit
more pork in this recipe to make the dish substantial enough to serve
as a main. You can replace it with ground chicken or ground beef, or
skip it altogether for a side dish. If you choose to skip the ground
meat, I highly recommend you add 2 more tablespoons of the Sichuan
pickled mustard greens to enhance the flavor. If you do not have
Sichuan pickled mustard greens, adding a bit of chicken bouillon, 2
tablespoons of fermented black beans, or 1 tablespoon of fermented
chili bean paste (Doubanjiang) will work too.

Footnote 2)

Sichuan pickled mustard greens add savory and sweetness to the dish,
making it extra rich. You can double the pickles and skip the salt to
make the dish extra fragrant. If you do not have pickled mustard
greens, 2 tablespoons of fermented black beans, or 1 tablespoon of
fermented chili bean paste (Doubanjiang) will work great, too.

Footnote 3)

The dried chili peppers add a fragrance and smokiness to the dish but
not much in terms of heat. If you want the dish to be a bit spicy,
break apart the chili peppers before adding them.

Footnote 4)

Alternatively, you could use a pair of tongs to remove charred beans
and transfer them to a plate. This way, the beans will be browned
more evenly without overcooking.

Footnote 5)

For the cooked Sichuan peppercorns, drain the oil with kitchen paper
towel and ground them to powder. You can use them on the cooked green
beans to add a zing or add to other dishes such as noodles etc.

Recipe by Maggie Zhu

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