Ingredients:
- 1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 2 Tbs. corn or peanut oil
- 1/4 lb. ground pork
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 small red or green jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
- Steamed rice for serving
Directions:
Parboil the green beans
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, parboil for 2 minutes and drain into a colander. Place under cold running water to stop the cooking. Pat the beans dry with a cloth towel.
Make the sauce
In a small bowl, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and sugar. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch and sugar.
Stir-fry the beans
Warm a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and pour in the oil. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, green onion and chili and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the green beans and stir to mix.
Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the wok and stir until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with steamed rice. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Asian, by Farina Wong Kingsley (Oxmoor House, 2007).