Spicy Green Beans and Pork, Asian Style

My favorite side dish to order in Chinese restaurants. A chef gave me the ingredients and the tip of blistering the green beans. After some trial and error, I came up with this. My family and friends now demand that it be on the menu for gatherings - even if it doesn't go with the course! Can be made in advance. The amount of heat is determined by the amount of chili garlic sauce used.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 295 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 green onions, minced
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ½ pound ground pork
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and dried well with paper towels
• 2 tablespoons Asian chili garlic sauce

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a large wok or deep sided skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Carefully add the beans to the hot oil, and fry, stirring occasionally, until the beans are blistered, 3 to 5 minutes. Dip the beans out of the oil with a strainer, and quickly rinse them in cold water.

Step 2

Remove the oil from the wok, but do not wipe the pan. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok over medium heat, and stir in the garlic, ginger, and green onion. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the ground pork. Cook and stir the pork, breaking it up as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chili garlic sauce, chicken broth, and soy sauce, and bring to a boil.

Step 3

Mix the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl, stir into the pork mixture, and let simmer until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir the green beans into the pork sauce, heat through, and serve.