One of my favorite Hunan dishes is Dry Fried Green Beans.  I liked the one that I had years ago from a little hole in the hole in San Francisco's Chinatown, House of Nanking. I made my own version of the dish.  I hope you like it!


Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans or string beans (washed, dried and cut approx. 3" long)
1 cup peanut oil
1/2 chopped fresh garlic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili paste (1/2 teaspoon for mild)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Procedure:

• Pour 1 cup of peanut oil into a large saucepan. Heat the oil until hot, but not smoky. Put as much beans in the hot oil. Make sure they are submerged in oil & cook in medium heat or high heat depending on your stove & pan for 5 minutes. Scoop the beans with slotted cooking spoon and put in colander lined with paper towel. Repeat the process until all the beans are fried.
• Pour the oil & leave a tablespoon in the saucepan. Brown the garlic in medium high heat. Once the garlic turns golden brown, put in ginger & chili paste. Stir. Turn down the heat to low (this is the part where it gets smoky because of the chili). Pour in soy sauce & blend well. Next, pour in the wine & sugar & stir for 30 seconds or until the sugar is well blended in the sauce, that is, if you are putting in sugar.
• Transfer half of the fried beans into a big salad bowl. Pour in half of the sauce & toss. Next, transfer the other half of the fried beans & pour in the last of the sauce & toss.
• Serve with steamed rice.

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