Spicy Stir-Fried Chinese Long Beans with Peanuts

One of the treasures I found in my recent Asian market outing was Chinese long beans. While they are the same color and general shape as traditional string beans, they are much longer. I found this recipe that featured them. It was delicious...earthy, nutty, spicy. It's worth trying to find them. Although if you can't, try the same treatment with "regular" green beans.


Note: I didn't have fresh Thai chiles on hand (and there seems to be different definitions of what that means anyway) so I used a combination of one serrano and one jalapeno, seeded and diced finely. Plus I threw in a half-teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. I have posted the original recipe below, however.


Spicy Stir-Fried Chinese Long Beans with Peanuts
From Gourmet.
Serves four.


1 1/2 lb Chinese long beans
1/2 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (2 1/2 oz; not cocktail peanuts)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 to 3 small fresh Thai chiles (to taste), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 large shallot, halved lengthwise, then very thinly sliced crosswise (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Cook untrimmed beans in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Trim beans and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, pulse peanuts in a food processor until about half of peanuts are finely ground and remainder are in very large pieces (do not grind to a paste).

Stir together soy sauce, chiles, and salt in a small bowl.

Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat wok, then add garlic and stir-fry until garlic begins to turn pale golden, about 5 seconds. Add peanuts, and stir-fry until all of mixture is golden, about 30 seconds. Add beans, and stir-fry until hot and well coated, about 2 minutes. Remove wok from heat, then stir in soy sauce mixture and shallot, stirring until shallot has wilted. Drizzle in lime juice and season with salt, then transfer to a bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.