Shrimp & Green Bean Stirfry with Sweet & Sour Sauce
A few weeks back I posted a recipe for Sweet & Sour Pan-Fried Tilapia with Peppers, Pineapples & Onions. This was quite popular at home and also received rave review from a friend and reader. So, I'm back with another dish that can easily be slathered in homemade sweet and sour sauce! Make it this weekend and save half of the sauce to make the tilapia dish, or anything else your sweet-and-sour-sauce-loving heart desires.
You might be wondering about the corn starch on the shrimp. I read around the interwebz that this will help give it that springy pop and a slightly crispy outside. It's completely optional, but I thought it gave the shrimp a nice flavor and texture.
As with a lot of recipes, this can serve as a template for your favorite veggies and protein. It's not an exact science and if you'd prefer snap peas and scallops, do it! Broccoli and chicken, why not?! ALL VEGETABLES?! Go for it! Just enjoy.
Shrimp & Green Bean Stirfry with Sweet & Sour Sauce
Serves: 2
Preparation TIme: Varies on whether you've already made the sauce and whether you use brown or white/instant rice. The shrimp and green beans alone will be pretty quick, 15 minutes at most.
Ingredients:
sweet & sour sauce (recipe here)
3/4 lb. shrimp, thawed, peeled & deveined (I used small 70-90/lb. shrimp)
1/4 c. corn starch
salt/pepper, to taste
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed & cut in half
2 tsp. light oil (I used a canola-coconut blend), divided
brown (or white) rice, to serve
black sesame seeds, to serve
Method:
1. Make the sweet & sour sauce if you haven't already. It can simmer while you're making other parts of the dish, or at least sit on the stove covered.
2.Start the rice following package instructions, if using (brown rice takes about 30 minutes). Gently pat shrimp dry and then place in a bowl. Mix with corn starch, salt and pepper. Stir to coat shrimp and let sit while you start the beans.
3. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add trimmed green beans and stir fry for about 5-10 minutes, until they've softened every so slightly. It's okay if they brown a tiny bit, you just don't want them over-cooked and mushy (unless you're into that).
4. Meanwhile, in another smaller saute pan, heat the other teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Toss in shrimp and stir fry until shrimp are cooked through. This will only take a few minutes.
5. Once the shrimp are cooked through, add to pan with green beans and remove from heat. Pour in sweet and sour sauce and stir to coat. Serve atop rice and sprinkle with black sesame seeds, if desired.
