Stir-fried Garlic Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low-sodium if desired
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt and add the green beans. Boil 1 minute, drain and rinse with cold water, then place on a kitchen towel to dry thoroughly. (If vegetables aren’t dry when you add them to the hot wok or pan, they will splutter and braise instead of stir-frying.) Place within reach of your wok or pan.

2. Combine the soy sauce and wine or sherry in a small bowl or measuring cup and place within reach of your wok or pan. Place the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in another small container near the burner.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan. Add the garlic and ginger, stir-frying for no more than 10 seconds, and then add the green beans. Toss together, then add the soy sauce and sherry and stir-fry for one to two minutes, until the beans are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Nutritional information per serving: 76 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 233 milligrams sodium (105 milligrams if using low-sodium soy sauce; does not include salt added during cooking); 3 grams protein