Vegan Chinese Garlic-Chilli Green Beans

Ingredients

For 3 portions

• 🪴 450g green beans
• 🏺 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🧄 5 cloves garlic
• 🪴 10g ginger
• 🌶️ 2 small red chilli peppers
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp chilli flakes
• 🌶️ 0.5 Tsp sichuan pepper
• 🥣 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 🍚 1 Tsp sugar
• 🥣 1 Tsp rice vinegar
• 🏺 1 Tsp sesame oil
• 🥤 2 Tbsp tap water

Method

1. Wash the green beans and dry them completely with a clean tea towel – wet beans steam instead of blistering. Snap or trim off the stalk ends and cut the beans in half if they're very long.
2. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Slice the red chillies into thin rings (remove the seeds for less heat). Lightly crush the Sichuan pepper in a mortar or with the side of a knife.
3. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and water. Set aside.
4. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot, then add the oil.
5. Add the beans in a single layer. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring only every minute or so, until they are wrinkled and blistered with dark spots all over. (Work in two batches if your pan is small.)
6. Push the beans to the side, turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic, ginger, sliced chilli, chilli flakes and Sichuan pepper to the empty space. Stir-fry for 30–60 seconds until fragrant – don't let the garlic burn.
7. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together for 1 minute until the beans are glossy and the sauce has mostly cooked away.
8. Turn off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil and toss once more. Serve hot with steamed rice.