This lively, aromatic stir-fry is Chef Andrew Cohen’s take on the classic Sichuan dish known for its bold heat, deep flavor, and slightly blistered beans. Traditionally made with Chinese yardlong beans that are oil-blanched before stir-frying, this version uses a clever high-heat roasting method inspired by Barbara Kafka’s Vegetable Love—a faster, cleaner technique that produces the same signature wrinkled texture without deep-frying.
If you can’t find yardlong beans, regular green beans make an excellent substitute. The savory-sweet sauce, infused with garlic, ginger, soy, and Shaoxing wine, clings beautifully to the beans for a dish that’s spicy, glossy, and irresistible.
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces Chinese long beans, trimmed and cut into 2–4 inch pieces (or regular green beans)
2 small red chili peppers, quartered lengthwise (or 2 dried chile de árbol)
Grapeseed or other neutral high-heat oil, as needed
Sauce:
6 cloves garlic, peeled and de-germed
3 slices fresh ginger (about 1 inch by ¼ inch thick), peeled
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil, optional
Slurry:
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Toss the beans lightly with oil until well coated. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast 8–10 minutes, or until the beans are slightly shriveled and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
While the beans cook, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and sesame oil (if using) in a blender or small food processor. Puree until smooth.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water until dissolved. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1–2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the chili peppers and stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the roasted beans and toss to coat. Create a small well in the center of the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir quickly to combine.
Stir the slurry once more, then pour it into the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the beans with a glossy sheen, about 1–2 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and serve immediately, garnished with sliced scallions if desired.
CHEF’S NOTES:
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For added flavor and substance, stir-fry ¼ pound ground pork with the chiles before adding the beans.
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Add scallions for extra aroma: 2–3 cut into 2-inch lengths (add with chiles) or thinly sliced (add with the sauce).
YIELD: Serves 4
SOURCE: Chef Andrew E Cohen
