Home-style Stir-fried Preserved Mustard Greens with Yardlong Beans

For rural people in Hunan Province, pickled string beans are the most familiar dish with a strong local flavor.Pickled string beans, are a staple on the dining table during winter when there's a food shortage. People who grew up in the 1960s may have eaten them so many times that they find them unappealing now, including my father, who refuses to eat this dish no matter how it's prepared.

My husband likes them very much; since his mother-in-law dotes on her son-in-law, she often prepares a small jar of pickled string beans on the windowsill for him to enjoy at any time.

This time, I had an idea and paired two types of string beans together, creating a dish with rich textures. When appetite is poor or as part of breakfast, this dish truly stands out as a wonderful choice.

　　Ingredients Main Ingredients

A handful of pickled string beans, appropriate amount of oil, salt,a handful of yardlong beans, one red chili pepper.

Steps

1. Take the pickled string beans out of the pickling jar and rinse off any foam on their surface.

2. Cut all the ingredients into small pieces.

3. Heat oil in a pan, then add yardlong beans.

4. Stir-fry until the yardlong beans change color, then add salt.

5. Add the pickled string beans and red chili pieces, stir-fry for one minute.

6. Pour a little water along the edge of the pan.

7. Cook until well-seasoned before serving.

Tips

1. Stir-fry the yardlong beans for a longer time to ensure they are fully cooked to avoid food poisoning.

2. Since pickled string beans are already salty, add salt first and let the yardlong beans absorb the flavor before adding the pickled string beans to prevent them from being too salty.