Dry-fried Snake Beans with Pork Mince 🌶 🇨🇳

 

Snake beans might be one of those lesser known vegetables but don't shy away from them.  The long slender pods come from a subtropical plant that is widely grown in Southeast Asia and also in northern parts of Australia.  Mildly sweet with a crunchy texture, the beans are perfect for stir fries and curries.  In this simplified Sichuan-style recipe, they are sliced and fried in a hot wok until slightly charred, which brings out their nuttiness.  Tossed into pork mince cooked with aromatics and chilli bean sauce, you have a delicious combo and a complete meal with steamed rice.  I grew up with dishes like this in Hong Kong - simple, comforting, full of flavour.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS 

• 200g / 7oz snake beans, ends trimmed, cut into 6cm / 2½" lengths
• 250g / 9 oz pork mince
• 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl
• 2 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce

METHOD

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok on high.  Stir fry beans for 6-8 minutes until slightly charred.  Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat remaining oil in the wok on high.  Add garlic, ginger and spring onions and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add the pork mince and chilli bean sauce and stir fry for 2 minutes, until the pork is cooked.
3. Return the beans to the wok.  Add the vinegar, soy sauce and the cornflour mixture.  Stir fry for another minute.  Serve hot.