Crisp Green Beans with Pork Belly

• Recipe by Charles Phan

At his San Francisco restaurant, the Slanted Door, Phan stir-fries green beans and meaty mushrooms in peanut oil for customers who want a satisfying vegetarian dish. But he actually prefers the version here, which in typical Vietnamese fashion uses a small amount of rich and tender pork belly to imbue the beans with succulent flavor.

Ingredients

1. 1 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
2. 1 tablespoon canola oil
3. 1/2 pound skinless pork belly or pancetta, sliced
4. 1/4 inch thick and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
5. 1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine, sake or water
6. 1/2 cup Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce

Directions

1. In a saucepan of boiling water, cook the green beans until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, then pat dry.
2. In a large skillet or a wok, heat the oil until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add the pork belly in a single layer; cook over high heat, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce and cook over moderate heat until the pork is tender, about 3 minutes longer. Add the green beans and cook over moderate heat until tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Serve With

Steamed jasmine rice.