Stuffed Long Beans in Hot Bean Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb long beans (about 24 stalks)
- 16 oz firm tofu, pressed
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped King oyster mushrooms, sauteed & seasoned with salt
- a handful of chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- a few shakes of white pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 Thai chilis, chopped
- oil for cooking
- toasted sesame oil
- cornstarch
- toasted sesame seeds
Sauce
- 2.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot bean paste
- 1 cup water
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to boil, add a pinch of salt, then blanch green beans in hot water for 2 minutes and remove to soak in an ice water bath.
To make the stuffing, place pressed tofu in a food processor or blender, pulse a few times until it turns pasty, transfer to a bowl and add chopped carrots, mushrooms, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, a few shakes of white pepper, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, then mix all ingredients until well combined.
Knot the long beans to prepare for stuffing
Place knotted long beans on a cleaned surface and generously dust both sides with cornstarch, then stuff the long bean knots with tofu mixture.
In a heated non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon oil, pan fry long beans until golden brown on both sides, push them aside and sauté garlic until fragrant, add in sauce and chili, lightly coat long beans with sauce, place a lid over and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the stuffing is fully cooked.
Season accordingly, add cornstarch slurry for a thicker sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.
