SICHUAN DRY-FRIED STRING BEANS

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

1 tb Dried shrimp
1 tb Preserved Sichuan Preserved
-Vegetable (jar choy)
3 c  Peanut oil for deep frying
1 lb String beans, snapped in
-half
1 tb Minced ginger
1 tb Finely chopped garlic
4 oz Ground pork butt
1    Green onion, minced
1 ts Sugar
pn White pepper
2 ts Dark soy sauce
2 tb Chicken stock
A swirl of sesame oil

This green-bean dish is outstanding. The green beans exude aromatic
flavors and have an interesting chewy texture. I do not fry the
beans as long as traditional recipes call for because I want them to
have some texture left.

Cover the dried shrimp with hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Chop
into the consistency of coarse bread crumbs.

Rinse the Sichuan preserved vegetables with cold water to wash off the
brine and salt; chop into the same texture as the shrimp. In a hot
wok add the oil and heat to 375F.

Deep fry the beans in two or three batches for 2 to 3 minutes or
until they look wrinkled, blistered and khaki color.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok. Reheat the wok
over high heat.

Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the pork,
preserved mustard, dried shrimp; stir-fry for 1 minute longer. Poke
and break up the clumps of pork so that it looks crumbled. Add the
green onion, sugar, white pepper and soy sauce; toss together to
blend.

Return the reserved green beans, chicken stock and sesame oil; toss
vigorously over high heat until all liquids are reduced and absorbed,
about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

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