Chao Yardlong Beans & Spicy Pork

Every time I set out to make a stir-fry Ray & I have a debate. Spicy v. savory. Spicy always wins. It wins to such an extent that I've nearly run through an entire jar of sriracha garlic chili paste in under 6 months. This may not sound like a long time, but just a tiny teaspoon of this stuff packs a serious punch. Enivatably I wind up tossing in a tablespoon or so. With cold beers in hand, we sweat our way though spicy heaps of stir-fry with smiles across our faces. We can't help it, we're Texans.

Chao Yardlong Beans & Spicy Pork

1 boneless pork chop, sliced in 1" strips
1 - 1/2 dzn. yardlong beans*
1/4 head purple cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 baby boc choy, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut on the bias 1/2" thick
1 c. white mushrooms, sliced 1/2" thick
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small nub ginger, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp. soy sauce + 1/4 c. for marinating
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp - 1 tbsp. sriracha garlic paste (depending on how spicy you like it)**
1 tsp. dried basil
6 - 7 fresh basil leaves, minces
salt to taste

Marinate the chop in 1/4 c. soy sauce for one hour prior to cooking. Meanwhile, saute the onion, garlic, & ginger in 1 tbsp. vegetable oil & a pinch of salt in a large pan or wok until soft & fragrant (about 5 minutes). Add the carrots & cook until they begin to soften (about 4 minutes).

At this point, add a bit more vegetable oil & 1 tsp. sesame oil. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan & add the pork & dried basil. Cook for about 4 minutes until the pork is almost cooked through. Add the mushrooms & cook for a minute or two longer. Finally, toss in the cabbage, boc choy, yardlong beans, sriracha , remaining sesame oil, remaining soy sauce, fresh basil & a pinch or two of salt.

*Also refered to as snake beans or Chinese long beans. They can be found in most large markets or in specialty stores.
**Typically stocked on the "Asian" aisle at most markets.