Crunchy, fresh, and rich in vitamins and minerals, green beans have many properties, even when fried. Frying green beans is definitely not the healthiest way to consume them, but with the right recipes it is not difficult to find a good compromise between nutrition and taste. These recipes are also easy to customize and you can add as many toppings as you like.
Ingrediants
Green Beans Cooked with Frying in the Sauce
- Fry oil
- 350 g of green beans
- 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic minced or cut into thin slices
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar (optional)
- A few drops of sesame oil
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Breaded and Fried Green Beans
- Fry oil
- 450 g of green beans
- 120 g of flour
- 250 ml of beer
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Cooked Green Beans with Sautéed Frying
Step 1. Heat a wok or skillet on the stove
Before frying the green beans, the pan must be heated well. Traditionally, dishes prepared with the stir fry method are cooked in a wok, but you can use any type of deep pan. Place it on the stove and set it to medium-high heat to warm the cooking surface.
Do not add the oil for now. There is a saying that goes: "hot wok, cold oil". To get the best possible texture, mix in one ingredient at a time in the correct order
Step 2. Pour the oil into the pan, then add the garlic and red pepper
When the pan is about to emit smoke, grease it with a little oil. Then add garlic and red pepper. The garlic should start to sizzle as soon as it comes into contact with the cooking surface. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Any cooking oil will do, but for best results use one with a high smoke point, such as canola or peanut. Other oils can begin to smoke and acquire a bitter taste when exposed to the high temperatures that characterize jump frying
Step 3. Clean and cut the green beans
While not strictly necessary, removing the stalk and hard tips will make it easier to consume the green beans. Then, cut them into pieces about 3 cm long so that they cook quickly.
There is a quick way to cut green beans. Line them up on a cutting board, then cut them all together with a sharp knife about 1cm away from the tip. Repeat on the other side
Step 4. Cook the green beans and onions
Stir the vegetables and seasonings into the oil using the spoon or spatula. Make sure you coat them well to prevent them from sticking together.
You can also mix them by stir-frying them. However, since hot oil can cause severe burns, use a spoon unless you are practiced with the jump cooking method. Read this article to find out more
Step 5. Let the green beans cook, stirring them only occasionally
Mix the vegetables, scatter them in the pan and let them cook without stirring them. In this way they will brown, acquiring the browning and crunchy texture that characterize foods cooked with the frying method.
After about 90 seconds, stir the vegetables and let them roast again for another minute and a half. Turn up the heat in case they don't brown
Step 6. Add a soy glaze (optional)
If you like the taste of soy sauce, take advantage of it to incorporate it now. While the green beans are cooking, mix the soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Once golden, pour the mixture into the pan and stir.
During the first few seconds, stir constantly to prevent the sugar from burning. Once the green beans have been evenly coated with the sauce, you can stop stirring, letting the sugar caramelize. In this way they will acquire a complex and full-bodied flavor, with a smoky note
Step 7. Add sesame oil, season and serve
Examine the appearance and texture of the vegetables as they cook. The cooking will be finished once the green beans have softened and the onions golden. Pour a drizzle of sesame oil into the pan. Season with salt and pepper (don't overdo the salt if you added soy sauce). Stir once more and the green beans will be ready to serve!
- Sesame oil is only used to flavor green beans, so don't use too much (a teaspoon should be enough). Since it has a low smoke point, it is best to avoid leaving it in the hot pan for too long.
- The green beans will be ready to be eaten right away, but if you let them rest in the pan (or on the plate you serve them on) they will continue to cook and soften a little more.
Step 8. Add more ingredients to customize the recipe
At this point, you will have mastered the basics of deep frying, but one of the advantages of this recipe is that it gives free rein to creativity. If you decide to incorporate new ingredients, try to add them in order of cooking, then put the ones that take the longest to cook first. Here are some ideas:
- Meat (beef or chicken) or seafood: add before vegetables.
- Ginger (powdered or fresh): add it along with the vegetables.
- Other vegetables (peppers, cooked carrots, peas, Chinese water chestnuts, etc.): add them along with the green beans.
- Dry seasonings (parsley, garlic / onion powder, etc.): Add them along with the garlic and red pepper.
Method 2 of 2: Crispy Breaded and Fried Green Beans
Step 1. Make a batter with beer, flour, salt and pepper
Mix these ingredients in a small bowl until you get a smooth and velvety batter, with a few lumps. Salt and pepper can be used to taste. If in doubt, 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper should suffice.
Step 2. Heat the oil in a pan
Pour the oil into a deep pan. Use enough to submerge the green beans completely. In fact, this method involves deep frying or in abundant oil.
- As explained in the previous section, it is good to use an oil such as canola or peanut oil, which have a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil.
- Before you start frying the green beans, make sure the oil has reached a temperature of at least 180 ° C. Measure it with a kitchen thermometer if possible. If not, it is usually enough to heat it over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes.
Step 3. Cut the green beans
As explained in the previous method, it is best to remove the stems and tips before starting to cook them. Align them on a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut them at the same time about 1 cm on one of the two ends.
If you want to make them look like fried potatoes, don't cut them into tiny pieces. If, on the other hand, you don't have a preference for shape, you can cut them in any way
Step 4. Dip the green beans into the batter to coat them
If you don't have problems getting your fingers dirty, you can do it with your hands, otherwise help yourself with a fork to dip the green beans into the batter and coat them. Remove them from the preparation, let the excess drain and transfer them to a clean plate.
Step 5. Fry the breaded green beans
At this point the oil should be hot. You can test the temperature by dropping some batter into it: if it sizzles, it means it's ready. Transfer and dip the green beans into the oil using a slotted spoon or colander. Let them fry, stirring them as little as possible.
Divide the green beans into groups to make more fries. Avoid overfilling the pan, otherwise they could stick together
Step 6. Remove excess oil
As soon as they have taken on a pleasant golden color and crunchy texture, they will be ready to be eaten. Carefully remove them from the boiling oil using a colander or skimmer. Let the excess oil drip into the pan itself and place them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels.
If you don't have a cooling rack you can simply stack them on a paper towel-lined plate, but doing so risks losing the crunchy texture created by the batter
Step 7. Season and serve
Once the green beans have cooled down enough to be eaten, sprinkle them with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. At this point they will be ready to be brought to the table!
If you want to add a spicy note to the recipe, take the opportunity to add a sprinkle of the toppings of your choice. For example, you could try using a pinch of Cajun spice blend or cayenne pepper to season the fried green beans for a slightly more pungent taste
Advice
- Use fresh green beans for best results. Canned or frozen green beans are not harmful, but their consistency can be altered by the procedures they are subjected to so that they have a longer shelf life. Canned green beans can also contain unhealthy preservatives.
- If the green beans are a little crispier than you would like, try blanching them before cooking (i.e. cook them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes). This quick cooking will cause them to soften before they are used in any recipe you want.
- If you decide to blanch the green beans, rinse them with cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel before using them in a recipe. Cold water interrupts the cooking process, preventing them from overcooking. It is also important to dry them to make sure they fry properly (since water does not mix with the oil, frying them when wet can negatively affect the cooking process).
