Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed & cut into 3-4 inch pieces (thicker beans work better than thin)
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2" fresh ginger, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Canola oil, enough for frying
• Ice water bath
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. First step is blanching the green beans. Fill a large bowl with salted ice water (1 tsp approx) and have it ready to the side. Bring a large pot of salted water (1 tsp approx) to boiling. Add green beans to the boiling water cooking no longer than 30 seconds. Immediately remove beans and submerge into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and brighten the bean’s color. Discard water (can use cooled water for your plants outside?!) This blanching step is totally optional as the point is to take the raw edge flavor off the beans while maintaining crispy beans and bright green color. However the “raw edge” will also be diminished via the next step.
2. Blister the beans. Have a plate lined with paper towels ready to soak up oil from beans. Add a shallow amount of oil to a wok, about 1/2 cup. Turn heat up to high. Once oil is hot, carefully add green beans and fry for approx 1 minute, or until the skin just starts to blister and wrinkle. Stay on the side of under-frying as the beans will lose their crispness. The point is to blister the outsdie while maintaining crispiness on the inside. This comes from high heat, hot oil, and quick frying. Remove green beans and put on paper towel-lined plate to soak up oil. Drain all but 1-2 tbsp of the oil out of wok into a safe vessel (example: glass container or ceramic mug) and place wok back on the stove.
3. As the oil quickly comes back to a hot temperature add garlic and ginger. Fry high heat until aroma of garlic and ginger come out and they become nutty and brown. 20-30 seconds at most if you’re on high heat.
4. Finally, add green beans back in and stir with garlic and ginger. Cook until beans are cooked to desired doneness and have incorporated the garlic and ginger flavor (about 1 minutes). Remove to a serving plate and sprinkle with salt and toasted sesame seeds. Eat hot as this cools quickly. If you’re entertaining, this should be the final dish you prepare. Guests should be seated as you remove beans to serving dish. That way, the aroma and steaming hot beans are ready for consumption at the right time!
5. Serves 4 (or 2 hungry parents)