Szechuan Tofu and Green Beans

Crispy cubes of tofu are covered in a spicy, peppery, sesame sauce and then tossed with fresh green beans that have been quickly sautéed. The green beans will happily retain their crunch, and thanks to the copious amounts of ginger and garlic, your tongue will be quite pleased as well.

I'm not an expert in Szechuan food (obviously), and I have no delusions that this dish is anywhere near authentic. In fact, I used Korean pepper flakes in the sauce so it's a bastardization of the cuisine, at best. But! Cuisine of the region features chili peppers and garlic quite heavily, and this has both in spades, so I'm counting it.

For the sauce, I used Gochugaru, a crushed red pepper easily found in most Asian supermarkets. You can substitute just regular old red pepper flakes if you have to, but the I recommend the trip to the Asian grocer - the flavor and the amount you'll get for the price can't be beat.

Szechuan Tofu and Green Beans