Chef's Notes
This green bean and shrimp stir-fry goes particularly well with Steamed Rice or even some nice Coconut-Infused Rice.
Step 1: Marinating the Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp or prawns (16 to 20 count)
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or kechap manis
- 1/4 cup mirin*
Clean the shrimp by peeling and deveining them. Place into a medium bowl.
Next, add the sambal, soy sauce and mirin. Stir to evenly combine. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (up to 1 hour).
*Note: Mirin is sweetened rice wine. If you cannot find it, you could use some rice wine vinegar and a bit of sugar instead.
Step 2: Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 2 tsp garlic (about 3 to 4 cloves)
- 2 tsp ginger (about 1" -inch)
- 1/2 lb Chinese long beans*
To prepare your mise en place, first mince the garlic and ginger and set aside.
To prepare the beans, wash and cut into 4" -inch long pieces.
*Note: Chinese long green beans available in most Asian grocery stores and many supermarkets. You can also substitute regular green beans if you like.
Step 3: Starting the Stir-Fry
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (untoasted)
Line up all of your mise en place in the proper cooking order. It is also helpful to have two flippers or spatulas to make tossing the ingredients a bit easier.
Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat. Once hot, add the oils, followed by the minced garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring almost constantly for about 10 seconds or so.
Next, add the green beans and continue to toss. Make sure to get right underneath the beans, lifting and tossing them with the garlic and ginger. If the garlic looks like it is starting to burn, you can take the pan off of the heat momentarily.
Stir-fry the beans for a minute or two, or until they start to turn a bright green color (they will continue to cook once you add the shrimp).
Step 4: Adding the Shrimp to the Stir-Fry
Once the beans are ready, add the shrimp, along with the marinade. Let this cook, stirring constantly until the marinade has reduced and thickened and the shrimp have cooked through. This should take only 1 to 2 minutes or so.
Step 5: Serving the Stir-Fry
Once the shrimp are just cooked through, serve immediately. You might also like to serve this stir-fry with a bit of extra soy sauce and sambal.