The best things in life are free. At least that’s how I feel whenever Whole Foods Market surprises me with a mystery basket filled with fresh produce, flowers and local goods; it’s a bonus if new ingredients are included.
So you can imagine how excited I was to find Sumo citrus and Chinese long beans, two items I’d never worked with, in my latest pickup.
I opted to tackle the legumes straightaway. My grandma makes a mean Chinese long bean entrée (she tosses them in a wok with ground pork, dry tofu, cellophane noodles and Asian seasonings), so I was a little intimidated at first. But, despite being unwieldy, I discovered the crisp green pods are easy to prepare.
This stir-fried Chinese long beans with peanuts dish, for example, comes together in a snap and explodes with flavor. I recommend doubling the recipe as the side will disappear quickly from the table.
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine.
- 1 pound Chinese long beans, cut into 2" pieces
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup diced sweet mini peppers
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- Prepare a medium bowl of ice water and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Chinese long beans and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Transfer Chinese long beans to the prepared ice bath to cool. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peanuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the fry pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add prepared Chinese long beans and mini peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add sugar and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add soy sauce and chili flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and top with peanut mixture.
