Recipe: Chinese Dry-Cooked Green Beans

Chinese Dry-Cooked Green Beans
alt.support.diet.low-carb/Nancy Howells/2003

This recipe is what was used in a Chinese restaurant in Ann Arbor - I got the recipe from the owners, as they were my next-door neighbors. You can substitute Splenda for the sugar in the recipe.

1 1/4 lbs. green beans (string beans), cleaned
5 cups oil (I use a good-quality safflower oil)
2 oz. ground pork or beef
1 tbsp. chopped ginger
1 tbsp. sugar (see note about Splenda)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. ground bean sauce
1 tbsp. chili and garlic paste
3 tbsp. water or stock
2 tbsp. chopped scallions
1/2 tbsp. vinegar (apple cider vinegar is what I use)
1 tsp. sesame oil

Combine soy sauce, sweetener, bean sauce (found in Asian stores), chili and garlic paste (found in Asian stores), and water or stock. Set aside.

Heat a wok very hot, and add 5 cups of oil. Fry beans until wrinkled (about 3-5 minutes) but not burned. Remove, and drain off oil (reserve 2 tbsp.). Return beans to wok and cook until brown. Remove, and drain well (on paper towels!)

Put the 2 tbsp. reserved oil back into the wok. Cook pork/beef and ginger in oil. Add sauce, and reduce. Add beans, and continue to reduce until most of the sauce is "gone." Remove from heat. Add scallions and sesame oil, stir well, and serve.

Occasionally, they added a tsp. of dried pepper flakes.