If you ever wondered why this dish is so popular at the local hakka restaurant, then you must try it. Originated from the Szechuan region, the beans are incredibly delicious and hard to resist. With every bite, they are crunchy and crispy, coated all over with tiny bits of garlic and chilli.
"Kan Shue" is a cooking technique meaning "dry fried". The beans are flash-fried in oil until their outer skin begin to pucker (have blisters) with brown spots. Cooked with a crispy texture, they are then tossed in a chilli garlic sauce. Simple, spicy and easy to prepare.
Choose beans that are tender, long, flexible and snap easily when broken. Avoid those that are limp and over matured with a tough skin. Green beans are also known as french beans, string beans or snap beans. They are low in calories and fat free. A good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. High in iron content, contributes in controlling blood sugar levels and balancing blood pressure. Presence of antioxidants prevent premature aging. The more you eat, the younger you will look so include green beans in your diet for overall good health.
"Kan Shue" is a cooking technique meaning "dry fried". The beans are flash-fried in oil until their outer skin begin to pucker (have blisters) with brown spots. Cooked with a crispy texture, they are then tossed in a chilli garlic sauce. Simple, spicy and easy to prepare.
Choose beans that are tender, long, flexible and snap easily when broken. Avoid those that are limp and over matured with a tough skin. Green beans are also known as french beans, string beans or snap beans. They are low in calories and fat free. A good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. High in iron content, contributes in controlling blood sugar levels and balancing blood pressure. Presence of antioxidants prevent premature aging. The more you eat, the younger you will look so include green beans in your diet for overall good health.
Kan Shue Green Beans (Indo-Chinese)
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
250 grams haricots verts (the dark green ones above to the right) or green beans
4 large cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon Lee Kum Kee chilli garlic sauce
1 teaspoon kikkoman light soy sauce
2 teaspoons oil
salt (if required)
Method:
Snap the ends of the beans, wash and pat dry well.
Combine the chilli garlic and soy sauce in a bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok and fry the beans on high heat till the outer skin starts to pucker with brown spots, around 2 minutes. Remove beans in a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the wok and cook the garlic until fragrant. (Do not burn the garlic.) Stir in the sauces and then the beans. Mix to combine for few seconds and check for seasoning. If desired, add salt.
Serve hot.
Note:
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
250 grams haricots verts (the dark green ones above to the right) or green beans
4 large cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon Lee Kum Kee chilli garlic sauce
1 teaspoon kikkoman light soy sauce
2 teaspoons oil
salt (if required)
Method:
Snap the ends of the beans, wash and pat dry well.
Combine the chilli garlic and soy sauce in a bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok and fry the beans on high heat till the outer skin starts to pucker with brown spots, around 2 minutes. Remove beans in a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the wok and cook the garlic until fragrant. (Do not burn the garlic.) Stir in the sauces and then the beans. Mix to combine for few seconds and check for seasoning. If desired, add salt.
Serve hot.
Note:
- In French, haricot means bean and vert is green. Haricots verts (green beans) are longer, thinner, expensive, more tender and flavourful than the traditional green beans.
- I noticed that the Chinese restaurants use haricots verts to make this dish.
- Haricots verts are available at Walmart, Canada.
- Lee Kum Kee chilli garlic sauce was used (picture below).
- No salt was used, which was substituted with the sodium from the sauces.
- Ensure to pat dry the beans well before frying them in oil or else, moisture with oil will start to splutter delaying the cooking of the beans and preventing the quick outer sear.
- The waiter at the restaurant told me how this dish was prepared.
