Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans

Method

1. 1
   • green beans 500 g
   • sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp

   Dry the beans, toast the pepper — Top and tail the green beans and dry them thoroughly on a clean towel — any surface water will make the hot oil spit and steam the beans instead of blistering them. Toast the sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok for a minute until fragrant, then crush them coarsely.

2. 2
   • green beans 500 g
   • vegetable oil 3 tbsp

   Blister the beans in hot oil — Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until it shimmers, add the beans in a single layer and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring only every couple of minutes, until the skins wrinkle, blister and take on dark brown patches.

   ⏱10 min
3. 3
   • green beans 500 g

   Pour off the oil — Lift the beans out onto kitchen paper and pour off all but about a tablespoon of the oil, then set the wok back over medium heat.

4. 4
   • garlic 4
   • fresh ginger 2 tsp
   • chilli flakes 1 tsp
   • sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp

   Fry the aromatics — Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and crushed sichuan peppercorns and stir for 30 seconds, just until they smell fragrant. Do not let the garlic go past pale gold or it will turn bitter.

5. 5
   • green beans 500 g
   • soy sauce 1 tbsp
   • white sugar 1 tsp
   • salt ½ tsp

   Toss with the seasoning — Return the beans to the wok, add the soy sauce, sugar and salt, and toss over high heat for a minute until every bean is glossy and no liquid is left in the pan.

   ⏱1 min
6. 6
   • green beans 500 g
   • sesame oil 1 tsp
   • spring onion 3

   Finish with sesame oil — Take the wok off the heat, stir through the sesame oil and the sliced spring onion, and serve at once while the beans still have bite.