Spicy-fried, crunchy snake beans

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 200 g snake beans
• 6 g dried shrimp
• 30 g white cabbage
• 2 peppers, sweet and sour pickled (jar)
• 4 onions, red
• 3 medium-sized garlic cloves
• 25 g ginger, red, alternatively brown
• 1 small chili pepper(s), fresh or frozen, green
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce, light
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp liquid (soaking water from the shrimp)
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, clear, mild
• 1 tsp sesame oil, light
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 4 small cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 flowers

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

A typical dish of Szechuan cuisine with contrasting flavors.

Rinse the shrimp briefly in a sieve, drain well, and place in a small bowl. Add enough boiling water to just cover them. Let them swell for about 20 minutes. Wash the runner beans, trim both ends, and cut crosswise into 6-8 cm long pieces. Wash the white cabbage, chop to the size of the shrimp, and marinate for 20 minutes with 4 tablespoons of the pepper liquid. Also cut the peppers into small pieces. Trim both ends of the onions and garlic cloves, peel, and finely chop. Wash the ginger, brush, and dice into small pieces. Wash the small green chili, cut crosswise into thin slices, leaving the seeds on and discarding the stem. Strain the shrimp and reserve 2 tablespoons of the stock. Squeeze the brine from the white cabbage. Mix the ingredients together to make the sauce. Heat a wok, add 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil, and heat until hot. Stir-fry the runner beans for 3 minutes. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon, add the remaining sunflower oil, and heat through. Add the onions, garlic cloves, ginger, and chili, and stir-fry until the onions are translucent. Add the cabbage, peppers, and shrimp, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the beans and stir-fry briefly. Deglaze with the sauce and stir-fry until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Garnish, serve warm as a side dish, and enjoy.