Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles

Cathy spotted this recipe for Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles in the New York Times. It is a great recipe. I highly recommend it. I was dubious of the green beans but it worked out splendidly. The peanuts gave it the dish crunch and the chiles gave it a kick. We will definitely make this again.

Stir-Fried Green Beans With Pork and Chiles

New York Times

In this fast, piquant weeknight meal, ground pork and green beans are stir-fried with plenty of ginger, garlic and chiles, and seasoned with soy sauce and coriander seeds. A big splash of rice-wine vinegar right at the end adds a hit of acidity, which balances the pork's richness. Serve this over rice or rice noodles to help absorb all the salty, spicy sauce. Slices of fresh tomato add a sweet juiciness that works well here. But if you don't have a ripe tomato, feel free to leave it out.

Ingredients

2      tablespoons neutral oil, such as peanut, sunflower or grapeseed, plus more if needed

1      pound ground pork

1.     handfull un-salted peanuts
1      teaspoon kosher salt

8      ounces green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths

2      red chiles, seeded or not, thinly sliced

1      tablespoon freshly grated ginger

5      garlic cloves, minced

1      teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly cracked with a mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife

¼       cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped, plus more for serving

3        tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, plus more for serving

4        teaspoons soy sauce, plus more to taste

½       teaspoon sugar

Cooked white rice or rice noodles, for serving

Sliced tomato, for serving (optional)

Preparation

1.   Heat a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then add the oil and let heat for another 30 seconds — it should be hot but not smoking. Stir in pork and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until browned and crisp, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2.   Return pan to heat and add more oil if it looks dry. Stir in green beans, cook until they are crisp, tender and bright green, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in chiles, ginger, garlic, coriander seeds and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

3.   Return pork to skillet, along with chopped cilantro, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Stir briefly to combine, then scrape into a serving platter.

4.  Sprinkle more vinegar and soy sauce on top to taste, add the peanuts then top with more chopped cilantro. Serve with rice, and sliced tomato, if you like.

Tip

To make this dish without meat, substitute about 8 ounces finely chopped shiitake mushrooms for the pork.

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