Stir Fry Shrimp & Long Beans

Blistered Chinese long beans and snappy brined shrimp in a garlic brown sauce. The beans get dry-fried until wrinkled, the shrimp get a baking soda brine — two techniques, both worth the extra ten minutes. See Stir-Fry Basics.

IngredientsClear All

For the shrimp (brine)

• 1 lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp neutral oil

For the sauce

• ¾ cup unsalted chicken stock
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil (added off the heat)

For the stir-fry

• 1 lb Chinese long beans (yardlong beans), cut in 2" lengths
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced (about 5–6 cloves)
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, whites and greens separated, cut in 1" pieces
• 1–2 dried red chilies, optional

Instructions

1. Brine the shrimp: Toss the shrimp with the salt and baking soda and refrigerate 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry — skipping the rinse leaves them tasting soapy. Toss with the cornstarch and oil.

2. Mix the sauce: Whisk everything except the sesame oil until smooth. Set beside the stove.

3. Dry-fry the long beans: Heat 1 tbsp oil in the wok over medium-high. Add the beans and cook 4–6 minutes, tossing occasionally and letting them sit still between tosses, until blistered, wrinkled, and browned in spots. Remove and set aside. (Alternative: blanch 2–3 minutes in rolling salted water, shock in ice water, dry thoroughly.)

4. Sear the shrimp: Wipe the wok, heat over high until faintly smoking, add 1 tbsp oil. Add the shrimp in a single layer, cook 45 seconds without moving, flip, and cook 30–45 seconds more until just pink and curled into a loose C. Remove immediately.

5. Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the dried chilies if using, then the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Stir-fry 15 seconds until fragrant — keep it moving, the garlic burns fast at this heat.

6. Combine: Return the beans and toss 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and toss 15 seconds.

7. Sauce: Whisk the sauce again and pour it around the rim of the wok. Stir constantly 20–30 seconds until glossy and clinging.

8. Finish: Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and scallion greens. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Substitutions:

• Regular green beans work — blanch 2 minutes instead of dry-frying; they hold too much water to blister well
• Scallops in place of shrimp, seared 60–90 seconds per side
• Vegetarian oyster sauce substitutes 1:1

Make ahead: Dry-fry the beans and mix the sauce up to a day ahead. Brine the shrimp the same day.

Tips:

• Both the beans and the shrimp want a properly hot, uncrowded pan. If your burner struggles, do the beans in two batches
• Dry-frying smokes — vent hood on high, or blanch the beans instead
• Pull the shrimp early; the sauce step finishes them

Storage: Best the day it's made — reheated shrimp toughen.

Source

Family recipe. Technique from Stir-Fry Basics.