This dish found its way into my repertoire on one of those days when I couldn’t decide between cuisines to concentrate on, and ended up fusing Korean and Mexican flavours to yield a dish that turned out to be a real treat for the tastebuds!

Green beans and peanuts may not sound like an obvious combination at all, but they work wonders together. You can dress this dish up plenty if you want, but as is, it’s just great.

Here’s how to whip up a quick-n-tasty vegetable side dish for a fusion feast… 😉

Flavour: Savoury & spicy

Serves: 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• half cup raw peanuts
• 500g green beans of your choice (snake beans work well) – topped and tailed, and cut/snapped into 4cm long pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar or palm sugar
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Optional extras:

• Thai basil, stirred in at the end – adds a beautiful, fragrant finish, and definitely fuses this in the direction of Thai flavour!
• crispy fried shallots, sprinkled on top at the end as a garnish
• optional extra veggies (add at the same time as the green beans): broccoli florets, shredded cabbage, or edamame

Directions:

1. Heat oil in over high heat, and toss in peanuts when the oil is hot enough to start smoking
2. Cook peanuts over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until they start to turn golden-brown – toss occasionally to cook evenly
3. Toss your green beans into the wok, and continue to cook over high heat for another 2 minutes, tossing occasionally to cook evenly
4. Add garlic and chilli to the wok, stir in, and cook for 1 more minute
5. Add sugar and soy sauce, toss in, and remove from heat
6. Toss in chopped spring onion after removing from heat
7. Plate up for serving immediately

Serve with piping hot white rice and an array of other vegetable side dishes for a satisfying fusion feast 🙂