A sweet solution for getting flavor to stick to green beans
Sweet-and-Spicy Ginger Green Beans
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We cooked the beans in a very hot pan, without moving, to develop browning and flavor, then added water to steam them until tender. Drying the beans thoroughly minimized splatter, and halving them on a steep bias allowed them to absorb more flavor. A final dose of vinegar, added off heat, prevented the beans from losing their bright green color.
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound green beans, stemmed and halved on the bias crosswise
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Ground white pepper
Ingredients
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2
tablespoons packed light brown sugar
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1
tablespoon fish sauce
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1
tablespoon soy sauce
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3
tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
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1
pound green beans, stemmed and halved on the bias crosswise
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¼
cup water
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1
tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
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½
teaspoon red pepper flakes
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2
tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
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Ground white pepper
Directions
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01In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.See Demo
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02In a large Dutch oven or 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until beginning to smoke. Add the beans and cook, without stirring, until beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add the water and immediately cover the pan. Cook until the beans are bright green and barely tender, about 2 minutes.See Demo
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03Clear a space in the center of the pan, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the clearing. Stir in the ginger and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the sugar-fish sauce mixture into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened and coats the beans, about 1 minute. Off of the heat, stir in the vinegar. Taste and season with pepper.See Demo
Tip: Don't use an ill-fitting lid. A proper seal was key to this recipe, whether you cook the beans in a Dutch oven or a skillet. Have the lid ready as soon as you add water to the pan.
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