#Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuanese Dry-Fried Green Beans

[allwayshungry]

Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuanese Dry-Fried Green Beans

Makes: enough for a small side dish

3/4pound green beans

4-6dried chiles

2scallions, whites only, sliced

3garlic cloves, sliced

An equivalent amount of ginger, sliced

2tablespoons Sichuanese ya cai or Tianjin preserved vegetable (optional but recommended; see note above)

1/2teaspoon whole Sichuan pepper

1teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2tablespoons canola or peanut oil

Trim beans; snap them in half. Then snip the chiles in half and shake out and discard the seeds. If you're using the Tianjin preserved vegetable, rinse off the excess salt and squeeze it dry.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans and blanch until just tender, then drain.

Put your wok over high heat. Add the canola or peanut oil, then the chiles and the Sichuan pepper. Stir-fry just until the chiles begin to darken, then add the scallion, ginger, and garlic and cook for a few moments more. Add the preserved vegetable and stir a few more times. Then add the beans and stir-fry for a minute or two longer, until coated in the oil and the seasonings. Add salt to taste. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.