Earlier this week I snagged a fresh bunch of Chinese long beans at the Hollywood Farmers Market, and I couldn’t wait to get in the kitchen with them.

Once I started researching cooking ideas for these viney-looking green beans, I discovered that they’re commonly used in one of my fave Chinese dishes: Szechuan green beans. Of course, I had to try and replicate this take-out staple at home.

Normally, Szechuan green beans are made with an extremely spicy, salty, and slightly sweet sauce tossed into the mix of the soft-crisp stir-fried beans. I was without some of the ingredients typically called for in the traditional recipe, so I improvised with what I had on hand: soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, and sugar.

There’s also a bit of minced cashew in the mix, giving a nutty crunch to the beans. It’s finished off with a healthy splash of fresh lime juice, which really lifts the flavors up and cuts the salt a bit.

I say this recipe makes 4 servings, but that’s really as a side dish portion. (I almost ate the whole thing in one sitting after it came out of the wok.) These beans would be great served with fried tofu cubes, pork, or perhaps simply a big ol’ bowl of steamed rice.

Stir-Fried Spicy Long Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Chinese long beans
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• ¼ cup unsalted roasted cashews, minced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; add beans and cook until just tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl of cold water; submerge 30 seconds. Drain; when cool enough to handle, chop beans into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
2. Combine soy sauce, Sriracha, and sugar in a small bowl; whisk well and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add cashews and cook until golden-brown, stirring, about 30 seconds.
4. Add reserved beans to skillet; cook until they just shrivel up, stirring, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add reserved soy sauce mixture and stir to mix.
5. Season with lime juice and serve.

Makes 4 servings.