Szechuan Dry-Fry Green Beans with Shiitake

I tend to become a bit unmotivated when the weather turns or after a vacation. I have loads of green beans from my CSA basket, and admit they’re not really a favorite vegetable of neither me or hubby, I rarely would purchase otherwise. The green bean to me isn’t a stand alone vegetable – sort of akwardly lanky and frankly boring. Its reminiscent of the veg curry called “beans alu” a dry potatoes and green beans curry my mom made growing up, I would pick out only the potatoes which didn’t make my mom happy. But as a hater of waste and in my renewed frugalness, I came across this recipe on The Modern Proper’s blog which was enough motivation to give it a try. I believe those green beans had to be given a chance to shine. Hubby and I actually took bites of this dish every time while passing the kitchen all afternoon and was all gone before dinnertime.

Szechuan Fried Green Beans with Shiitake

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 tablespoons avocado or any neutral tasting oil
• 1 pound regular green beans, trimmed
• ¼ pound ground turkey, chicken or crumbled tofu 
• 6 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 1 heaped tablespoon garlic, minced, about 3 large
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons Szechuan pickled mustard greens, optional
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt as needed, the sauces are pretty salty so taste before adding
• 1 teaspoon whole Szechuan peppercorn, its cheaper in Chinese and Asian markets
• 6-8 dried chili peppers, if you like it hot break a few chili pods to release the seeds
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1-2 tablespoons oyster sauce, if you need more sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the soy, oyster and Shaoxing wine in a small bowl and set aside. After washing pat the greens beans dry on a kitchen towel or paper towels.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet until medium hot. Add the green beans and stir to coat well with oil. Spread the beans in a single layer so they don’t overlap and have surface touch to sear. t
3. Using tongs flip after 1-2 minutes. Cook and stir until the green beans achieve a beautiful sear about 8-10 minutes, they will also start to crinkle a little. Transfer the green beans to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the Szechuan peppercorns to the pan. Cook over low heat until the peppercorns darken. Using a slotted spoon scoop out the peppercorns and save for later. Leave the flavored oil in the wok.
5. Add the mushrooms and stir fry on high heat for 3 minutes. Then add the ground protein (turkey, chicken or tofu), Sichuan pickled mustard greens, garlic, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using the front of the spoon chop and mince the meat or tofu to break up them into small pieces while stir frying continuously. When the meat begins to brown and no more pink spots (about 4-5 minutes) add the dried chili pepper. Stir fry constantly a more few seconds. Add the green beans back to the wok and pour the sauce over them. Cook and stir until the sauce is mostly absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Taste, and adjust any seasoning if required. Dish out the beans and serve along with steamed rice, other grains or as a side to other entrees.

NOTES

• 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.
• 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 the chili peppers before adding them.