| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 170 | 6g | 0.5g | 25g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 7g | 9g | 10g | 0.6g |
Why I Love Chinese Spicy Sautéed Fava Beans
As a food writer, journeying across geographical boundaries is always an exciting adventure. One of my favourite unanticipated discoveries has been the Spicy Sautéed Fava Beans recipe from China. This robustly flavoured dish has a warmth that is invariably appealing despite my roots in the fusion cooking of Creole and French cuisine.
Flavour Fusion
A perfect symphony of flavours, this recipe is a fantastic exploration of Chinese cuisine. It brings together the strong aromatics of ginger and garlic, the kick from the red chili, all balanced with a dash of soy sauce and the richness of Chinese rice wine. And let’s not forget the star of the show – our humble, verdant fava beans. The final zing of toasted and crushed Sichuan peppercorns indeed transports the taste buds to exotic street-side markets in Sichuan.
This medley of flavours, in particular, reminds me of the bold culinary creations of Fuschia Dunlop, a London-based chef known for her Sichuan and Hunan cooking. While she’s not directly connected to the inspiration of this recipes, her cookbooks have been a guide to my journey into Chinese cuisine.
A Versatile Side
Spicy Sautéed Fava Beans is not just a delight to the palate, but it also serves as a versatile side dish. A steaming bowl of jasmine rice or a simple stir-fry would be perfect match. If you lean towards reconnecting with my French-Creole roots, you may consider pairing it with a juicy roast chicken or an elegant coq au vin.
Whether you are a seasoned cook or an enthusiastic food explorer like me, I believe you’d appreciate the rich, complex flavours of this Spicy Sautéed Fava Beans recipe. I’d say it’s a bean dish like no other – where China’s fiery spice dance hand in hand with the cool of the beans, creating the perfect culinary symphony.
What You’ll Need
- 2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red chili pepper, finely chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and crushed
- Salt to taste
Method
Step One
Start by preparing the fava beans. They need to be shelled, you can do this by gently breaking the pod and removing the beans. Set the shelled beans aside.
Step Two
Next, heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic, chopped chili pepper, and finely chopped ginger. Sauté the mixture for about two minutes, or until it becomes fragrant.
Step Three
Add the shelled fava beans to the pan. Stir well to ensure that the beans are thoroughly coated with the oil and spice mixture. Continue to cook the beans for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The beans should start to soften, but they should still have a little bite to them.
Step Four
While the fava beans are cooking, chop the green onions and set them aside. Next, in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, sugar, and toasted and crushed Sichuan peppercorns. This will be your sauce for the beans.
Step Five
Pour the sauce over the fava beans in the pan. Stir well to ensure that the beans are coated with the sauce. Continue to cook the beans for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and has begun to reduce.
Step Six
Finally, add salt to taste. Before serving, sprinkle the chopped green onions over the top of the beans for a little crunch and extra flavour. Enjoy your Spicy Sautéed Fava Beans warm.
