Szechuan Pork with Green Beans

Szechuan pork with green beans, or Gan Bian Si Ji Dou, is a full-flavoured stir fry with pork mince and fine green beans from the Szechuan (or Sichuan) province of China. The beans should be a little brown and wrinkled once cooked. If you have both dark and light soy sauce, then use them as below, otherwise just use whatever you have. There is not much sauce, but what there is really packs a punch! Serve on its own with rice or as part of a feast! serves 4

• 250g minced pork

• 500g fine green beans, trimmed

• 2 tsp szechuan peppercorns, crushed slightly

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2cm piece ginger, grated

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

• finely chopped fresh or dry chillies (we suggest 4 red small ones but it’s up to you!)

• 1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tsp dark

• 1 tsp sugar

1. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the beans until slightly wrinkled and brown. Do this in about 5 batches. Remove and drain.

2. Turn the heat down and gently fry the garlic, ginger, chillies and peppercorns for a couple of minutes.

3. Turn up the heat, add the pork mince and sugar and fry for a few more minutes until browned.

4. Add the beans to the wok, stir to heat through and serve.