Gan Bian Dou Jiao (Chinese Green Beans)

Chinese Green Beans - Gan Bian Dou Jiao

One pound green beans, ends cut off (steamed approximately 3 minutes)
2 Tbls oil
1 Tbls ginger root, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
2 Tbls cooking sherry
1 Tbls soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 C whole dried chile peppers
2 tsps toasted and partially crushed Chinese prickly ash
1-2 Tbls sesame seeds

In wok, flash fry green beans in oil.  Add sauce made from ginger, cloves, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar.  Thicken with cornstarch. (I actually eliminate the cornstarch, because I don't want the sauce to be "globby")

Add peppers and prickly ash.  Heat thoroughly and serve topped with sesame seeds.

This is VERY good!  I haven't checked yet, but I think that Chinese prickly ash (that hot and numbing ingredient) has to be available at fine Asian markets.