I made this recipe using the All-Clad non-stick frying pan that Michael bought me for Christmas for the first time. It worked great. I use haricots vert here because they’re slimmer and less watery than regular green beans, and so easier to get to the texture I want in this dish. Yes, they cost more, but they usually come pre-lined up in a little plastic box, making washing them and lining them up to trim a snap.
2 lbs. haricots vert, trimmed
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 T. ginger, minced
1 T. garlic, minced
1/2 t. hot pepper flakes
canola oil for the pan
sesame oil for the pan
1/2 c. Heaven and Earth Chili-Black Bean Sauce (found this at Whole Foods)
1/2 c. water
1 T. mirin
1/4 c. tamari
1 t. cornstarch
1 t. water
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a little bit of oil. When the oil is hot, place about one-third of the beans in the pan. Stir-fry 5 to 10 minutes, until bright green and spotted with brown. Set aside. Repeat until all the beans are done, then cook the red peppers in the same way until spotted with brown. Remove the peppers and add to the green beans. Add a little bit of sesame oil to the empty pan and heat it until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, ginger, and hot pepper flakes, and stir. Do not let the garlic brown. After a few seconds, add the ginger-black bean sauce and the other sauce liquids. Mix the cornstarch and water together, and when the sauce begins to bubble, add the cornstarch-water slurry and stir until the sauce is thickened. Add the green beans back to the pan and toss them with the sauce. Remove from the heat and serve over rice.

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