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We are less than 2 weeks away from book day! 10.12.21 has felt like such a far away date for so long, but it’s finally almost here! Mooncakes and Milk Bread will be on bookshelves and I can’t believe it. In the days and weeks leading up to my book finally be out in the world, I’ve been on a bunch of podcast and have been working on not saying “like” every other word (I get nervous…), figuring out how to dress myself as an adult emerging from a pandemic going on a book tour (I’m going on a book tour!), and reorganizing my kitchen because it calms my nerves.

Can you tell I’m nervous?

Welp, at least my kitchen is clean and I no longer have ancient jars of whatever-the-hell-that-is in the back of my fridge. A good kitchen purge was much needed and now I feel refreshed and less overwhelmed going into the next couple of crazy weeks.

I’ve been cooking simpler these days too. We have rice, protein, and vegetables on repeat. But that doesn’t have to be boring! These Honey Garlic Green Beans have been one of my favorites! They are prepared just like the blistered Chinese restaurant-style green beans but with a little sweetness. I love them and they are so easy to make!

Prep the Beans

One of my earliest kitchen tasks as a kid was to help my mom trim the ends off of green beans. I normally did this while watching cartoons in the living room with a big bowl. If you have the extra time, it’s quite relaxing to snap off the ends by hand. But if you rather cut them off with a knife to save 15 minutes, then do that! It’s important to trim the ends because they are tough to chew through.

Oh, and make sure that the green beans are completely dry before cooking them! We are going to be shallow-frying them in hot oil, which does not mix well with water. After I wash and trim the green beans, I lay them out on a kitchen towel until dry.

Blistered, Sweet, and Garlicky Green Beans

The time it takes to cook these green beans goes by in a flash! It’s helpful to use a large frying pan, at least 12” wide because we have a lot of green beans here and you want them all to get a nice blister. I love using my Calphalon Premier Nonstick 12” Fry Pan, it’s perfect for the job! I cook with nonstick often because nothing sticks (obviously) and it makes cooking and clean up so easy. If you're ready to upgrade your cookware, then head over to Calphalon.com and use the code KRISTINA25 for 25% off your order.

To start, we’re going to cook our minced garlic until lightly golden brown. By doing this you’re also going to infuse the oil with garlic flavor, making your beans even more garlicky! Be careful not to burn your garlic, make sure the heat is at a medium at max. Once the garlic is beautifully golden, scoop it out into a small bowl. It’s okay if there’s some stragglers still in the pan. Next, bump up the heat to medium-high add the green beans. Cook them until blistered, tossing occasionally, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes. At the end, add about half of your fried garlic, some salt, honey, and rice vinegar. The honey balances out the oil and salt for a sweet and salt flavor palette and I love the splash of rice vinegar for just a little brightness at the end. Finally, plate the beans on a serving platter and top with the remainder of your friend garlic and drizzle on a little bit more honey. Aaaaaaand enjoy the simplest and more delicious green beans!

Honey Garlic Green Beans

Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup minced garlic

1lb green beans, trimmed (dry completely after rinsing)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Scoop the garlic out of the oil with a spatula or wooden spoon and set aside in a small bowl.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the green beans and cook until blistered and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt, rice vinegar, and honey. Add about half of the fried garlic back into the pan and give the beans a quick toss. Transfer the green beans to a serving platter and top with remaining fried garlic.