Our bean plants have remained unusually small although happily they are quite prolific bean bearers.
I have learned to make Crunchy Crispy Green Beans With Crunchy Peanut Sauce this summer, using variations of random recipes from the Internets; this one, based on a recipe from Food.com, turns out quite nicely. The original recipe called for tofu to make a full-on stir-fry; i prefer to leave the tofu out of it - or serve it separately. Below adaptation is all about the green beans.
Ingredients:
Beans
* 1 cup peanuts, roasted or raw
* 2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
* 1 clove minced garlic
* Juice from 1/2 fresh lime
* 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
* red pepper flakes
PEANUT SAUCE
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup hot water
* 1 generous squirt of Bragg's Amino Acids (a must-have in our kitchen)
* 1 clove minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar or juice from 1/2 fresh lime
* 1 handful roughly chopped cilantro
Directions:
Ingredients:
Beans
* 1 cup peanuts, roasted or raw
* 2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
* 1 clove minced garlic
* Juice from 1/2 fresh lime
* 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
* red pepper flakes
PEANUT SAUCE
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup hot water
* 1 generous squirt of Bragg's Amino Acids (a must-have in our kitchen)
* 1 clove minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar or juice from 1/2 fresh lime
* 1 handful roughly chopped cilantro
Directions:
- Put a wok or skillet on heat until it gets very hot. Add tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the peanuts. (The pan should sizzle when they hit.) Reduce heat and stir constantly until peanuts begin to look toasty. Raw peanuts take longer but the wait is very worth it. After the peanuts have achieved toastiness, put them aside.
- Return the wok or skillet to high heat and add the ginger, garlic, lime juice, and green beans. (Again, the pan should sizzle when they hit.) Stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, then give it a squirt of Bragg's Amino Acids and add red pepper flakes to taste.
- Using anything that works for you (mortar and pestle, hammer and chisel, your bare hands), crush the peanuts and add them to the skillet.
- Stir-fry just a few minutes longer, or until the beans are divinely tender-crisp (mostly crisp, but just tender enough).
- For the peanut sauce, combine peanut butter and water in a bowl; mash and mix until uniform. Add remaining ingredients, and stir until combined. Add a little more water it you prefer it thinner.
- Add peanut mixture to beans and toss together.
- Serve over rice or noodles or rice noodles.
