
East Asian · 15 min · Easy · 4 servings
Garlic Sesame Green Beans
Green beans blistered in a hot pan until they wrinkle and char in places, then tossed with garlic, soy and sesame. Ten minutes, one pan, and they disappear.
~110 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.
Method
- 1
Blister the beans
⏱ 7 minHeat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add the beans in a single layer and leave them without stirring until they blister and char in patches, then toss and repeat.
- 2
Steam briefly
⏱ 3 minAdd a splash of water and cover immediately — it will steam furiously. Cook until the beans are just tender with a squeak left in them, then uncover and let any remaining water boil away.
- 3
Add the garlic
⏱ 45 secTurn the heat to medium, push the beans aside and add the sesame oil and sliced garlic. Stir for under a minute — garlic burns fast at this heat and turns bitter.
- 4
Finish
Pour in the soy sauce, toss everything together, then take off the heat and scatter with the sesame seeds and chili flakes. Taste before adding salt; the soy may be enough.
Notes
A properly hot pan and a single layer are the whole technique — crowd the beans and they steam gray instead of blistering. Cook in two batches if your pan is small.