Chinese Sauteed Green Beans

Nothing tastes as good as fresh green beans. But sometimes I get tired of doing the same treatment to them. So for Chinese week, we tried a new green bean recipe. These beans turned out so flavorful and crisp!

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed

2 T soy sauce

1 t sugar

1/4 t ground white pepper

1/2 C trimmed and sliced scallions

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 t dark sesame oil

Chinese food goes together really quickly, so having the ingredients prepared and in separate bowls beforehand makes all the difference. Prepare the green beans and put them in a large bowl. Put the sliced green onions and garlic in another bowl. Mix the sugar, white pepper, and soy sauce in a third bowl.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. Make sure the oil comes 1 and 1/2 inches up the sides. Add the green beans and fry until they are bright green and starting to shrivel, about five minutes.

Remove the green beans and discard all but 2 Tablespoons of the oil.

Stir-fry the scallions and garlic for 20 seconds and return the green beans to the wok. Stir-fry for one minute. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for one more minute.

Add the sesame oil and serve immediately!

Pictured here with rice and crispy orange beef.

Tastefully,

Tamara 

Ground Pork and Cilantro noodles (Dan Dan noodles)

After we did French week, we moved to Chinese food! Yeah, big switch. Anyway, this is my Americanized version of Chinese Dan-Dan noodles. Quick and easy! There are two sauces to these dishes. I make them up while the noodles are cooking so they are ready to pour.

Ingredients:

2 T peanut butter

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 t pepper

3 T soy sauce

1 t sugar

1/2 t hot chili oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

10 oz. ground pork

1/2 T minced garlic

1/2 C minced red onion

2 T bean paste (optional)

2 T rice wine (mirin)

1 lb. angel hair

1 T vegetable oil

1 T sesame oil

1/2 C chicken broth

1/4 coarsely chopped peanuts

10 cilantro springs

Cook the noodles according to package directions. While they cook, prepare the ground pork. Place the pork and half the green onions in a bowl.

In your serving bowl, mix the peanut butter with 1/4 C hot water. Whisk until smooth. Add the pepper and half the green onions, 2 T of the soy sauce, the sugar, hot chili oil, and vinegar. Mix well and set aside.

Mix the other half of green onions with the garlic, red onion, and bean paste in another bowl.

Mix the rice wine and 1 T of soy sauce in another bowl.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until shimmery. Add the pork mixture and stir-fry, breaking up the meat with the spoon, about 30 seconds.

Add the garlic mixture and stir-fry for ten seconds. Add the rice wine mixture and stir fry for 10 more seconds. Add the sesame oil and stir-fry 5 second. Turn off the heat but keep it warm.

Bring the 1/2 C chicken broth to a boil and add it to the peanut butter mixture in the serving bowl. Mix until blended.

Pour the prepared noodles (cooked and drained) into the serving bowl on top of the peanut butter sauce. 

Pour the ground pork mixture on top of the noodles.

Garnish with the crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Serve immediately! This is sure to be a hit with everyone in the family!

Tastefully,

Tamara