Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
De Arbol (Capsicum Annuum) means tree like in Spanish. The plant has thick, upright, woody stems and the chile itself is narrow, curved and bright red in color. Believed to be closely related to the pequin, the De Arbol is thin fleshed, with tannic, smoky, grassy flavor and searing heat. This chile has a heat range of 7.5 on the heat scale of 1-10. De Arbol Chiles are comparable to a Cayenne Pepper. Scoville heat units 15,000 to 30,000.
Suggested Use:
De Arbol is a hot chile and a staple in Southwest kitchens. Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish. Be adventurous and add them to your next stew or chili along with the other spices. Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish.
Ingredients:
¾ pound green beans
¼ cup peanut or vegetable oil
5 or 6 dried red chiles
¼ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
3 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
For topping:
4 lime wedges
Sauce:
1½ teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1½ teaspoons chili bean sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Instructions:
Serves: 4
Rinse the green beans and dry them thoroughly; even a small amount of water will cause oil in the wok to spit. Cut the beans into 2-inch lengths.
Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the rice wine, chili bean sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the peanut oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the green beans and stir-fry, keeping the beans constantly moving, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the outsides begin to blister and the beans are wilted. Turn off the heat, remove the green beans, and set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil and reheat the wok. Add the chiles, Sichuan pepper, garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another 1 minute, until the mushrooms have browned and started to crisp. Add the sauce. Return the green beans to the wok and stir-fry for another 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and serve hot.
From appetiteforchina.com