STIR-FRIED PORK WITH LONG BEANS

Stir-Fried Pork with Long Beans image

Provided by Prasan Fargrajang

Yield Makes 3 or 4 (maincourse) servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

For seasoning paste:
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, root end trimmed and 1 or 2 outer layers discarded
3 (2- to 3-inch) dried hot Thai chiles, including seeds
3 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons shrimp powder or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried peeled shrimp
1 teaspoon minced cilantro root or stem
1 teaspoon makrut lime zest or regular lime zest
1 teaspoon minced peeled galangal (fresh or thawed frozen)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon Thai shrimp paste
For beans and pork:
1/2 pound long beans or green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 pound boneless pork shoulder
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon packed grated palm sugar or light brown sugar
3 medium makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen), ribs discarded and leaves minced
Equipment: a smooth stone mortar and pestle
Accompaniment: white rice

Steps:

Make paste:
Mince 1 tablespoon lemongrass from root end. Put minced lemongrass and remaining paste ingredients in mortar and vigorously pound to a smooth paste using pestle (most chile seeds should be crushed), 6 to 8 minutes.
Cook beans and pork:
Cook beans in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water (1 teaspoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain again.
Pat pork dry, then cut across the grain into ÿ-inch-thick slices (about 2 by 1 inch).
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then cook seasoning paste, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork, tossing to coat, then spread out in skillet and brown, turning occasionally (to keep paste from burning), about 2 minutes. Add fish sauce, palm sugar, and beans and cook, tossing, until pork is just cooked through and beans are hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and toss with lime leaves.