I tried my first wing beans on my recent trip to Beijing. I was hooked. I had always seen them in Honolulu Chinatown, but was not sure how best to prepare them. I love their crispness . . . nom, nom, nom.
1 bag of Wing Beans (Sorry I forgot to make note of the weight!)
3 cloves of roughly chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup of water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
drizzle of sesame oil
Prep wing bean by taking off the tips. Cut them diagonally. Heat oil on medium heat and add 1 cloves worth of chopped garlic. Add the beans. Add 1/4 cup of water. Cover for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the garlic. cover for 3-5 minutes; until desired tenderness. Be sure not to overcook. Add salt and white pepper. When it has reached desired tenderness drizzle sesame oil on top.
Tips: My father is a great cook. To avoid overcooking garlic which he says people often do, he suggests to add the garlic in later – almost mid way through cooking any stir fry. I noticed it really brings out the taste of the garlic. I actually like to brown a little garlic in the beginning and then add the rest later. I don’t know there’s something about the smell of hot oil and garlic . . .