Fiery Garlic Blistered Long Beans
If you’re searching for a dish that is incredibly fast, astonishingly delicious, and brings a bold punch of flavor to your dinner table, look no further. This recipe transforms humble long beans into a spectacular side dish that could easily steal the show. Ready in about ten minutes, this dish is surprisingly simple to master. The magic lies in a quick flash-fry technique that gives the beans a wonderfully wrinkled, “blistered” skin, locking in a tender-crisp texture. The flavor profile is a thrilling journey for your taste buds: savory, spicy from the chilies, with a unique, tingly numbness from Sichuan peppercorns, all balanced by a hint of sweetness and a bright splash of vinegar. It’s the perfect, exciting weeknight vegetable dish that tastes like it came from a specialty restaurant but is easy enough for any home cook to perfect. Here is what you’ll need to create this amazing dish. Don’t be intimidated by any unfamiliar ingredients; I’ve included simple swaps you can find at any major supermarket. For the Beans: Long Beans: 1 large handful (about 1 lb or 450g). These are also known as yardlong beans or asparagus beans. If you can’t find them, regular green beans or French beans (haricots verts) work beautifully as a substitute. Peanut Oil: About 1 cup (240ml) for frying. You can substitute with any neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil. For the Aromatics & Sauce: Garlic: 3-4 cloves, finely minced. Ginger: 1-inch piece, finely minced. Dried Red Chilies: 5-10, depending on your spice preference. Arbol chilies are a good option. You can snip them in half to release more heat. Sichuan Peppercorns: 1 teaspoon. These are a key ingredient for their unique citrusy aroma and tingly, mouth-numbing sensation (known as “málà”). You can find them…