Serves 4
If you don’t want the heat of the red pepper flakes, there’s no need to pass on this dish – it’s very flavorful without them. Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine made from rice. It is available in supermarkets, Asian markets, and natural food stores. To make this soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of tamari.
Gluten Free
Soy-Free Option
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons walnut butter
2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon mirin or water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Steam the green beans just until tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the walnut butter, tamari, sesame oil, mirin, and sugar and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved beans in batches and stir-fry for 30 seconds, transferring the cooked beans to a platter.
When all the beans have been removed, add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the same pan and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
Return the beans to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add the reserved walnut butter mixture and stir-fry until the beans are hot and coated with the sauce, about 30 seconds.