Beef and Green Beans
As per special family request, here’s a super simple yummy homemade version of a Dim Sum dish we all love, spicy green beans and pork. Okay, so I’m making this with ground beef…but whether it’s pork, ground beef or, for a thoroughly delightful vegan version of this dish, cooked lentils. This dish, served with a side of rice, is a wonderfull balance of sweet and spicy…and loaded with vegetables over meat.
Beef and Green Beans Recipe
Special Note: The pictures in this post are for a double batch of this recipe. Leftovers are great, rapidly heated, are terrific the next day.
Ingredients:
250 gms (1/2 lb) extra lean ground beef (or 1 c cooked lentils)
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb thin green beans, cut in 1” lengths
6 cloves garlic, minced (there are 3 in the photo because I had extra-large cloves of on hand)
1 tsp hot chili paste or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 green onions
Sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
4 tsp cornstarch
1 1/4c water
Instructions:
Rice: If making rice for the side, pick your favorite rice and get it going. White rice takes about the same time to cook as this dish…brown rice takes longer to cook.
Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, corn starch and 1/2 c water. Set aside.
In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until browned. (or cook lentils per instructions). Remove beef (or cooked lentils) to a side dish; drain off fat from pan.
Add oil to skillet. Add beans and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in chili paste (or red pepper flakes) then 3/4c water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until beans are tender-crisp.
Stir in reserved beef (or lentils).
Stir soy sauce mixture and then add to beef and bean mixture, bring to a boil.
Stir in green onions; cook for 1 minute
Note to make ahead:
Prepare through step 3, cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours; reheat rice and beef on stovetop…and then continue with steps 4 - 7.
