Did you know, that besides having peanut butter as a sweet treat, you can use it to create a savory Chinese dish too? Sometimes I am so surprised at how versatile an ingredient could become, when used in a different context. This green bean salad with spicy peanut sauce is one of the best examples. With a splash of soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili oil, the peanut butter turns to an appetizing nutty sweet-sour-spicy sauce, with a fragrance of toasted sesame.
It is very common to use nutty sauces in Chinese cuisine, whether in cold dishes, salads or noodles. In authentic Chinese cooking, the base of the sauce is Chinese tahini (芝麻酱). It is a thick brown paste that is made from ground sesame and Chinese sesame oil. It has a super nutty flavor with a subtle salty-sweet taste. To make a savory sauce from Chinese tahini, you need to mix in other ingredients, like soy sauce or vinegar, to dilute it and add flavor. For example, Chinese tahini is used in Dan Dan Noodles and Chicken noodle salad.
However, Chinese tahini is not common in western supermarkets. Even you go to a Chinatown, it is still difficult to get the right type for a specific recipe. For example, a popular type of Chinese tahini in overseas market is the Taiwanese style tahini, which has a unique taste that is different from the Mainland ones. Even though they go by the same name, a dish will end up with a totally different flavor if you choose one instead of another.
The other day, when I saw the idea to use peanut butter to create a spicy peanut dressing, it struck me that I could use peanut sauce to replace Chinese tahini to make a savory sauce, too!
The idea turned out to be a great one, even more delicious than I expected!
The sauce is so simple and appetizing and goes great with all sorts of green salads or blanched vegetables, for example, broccoli, gailan or asparagus. It is perfect for a quick weekday dinner on a hot summer day. This recipe will produce enough for two people as side dish, but I can devour a full plate in a few minutes! It’s a very healthy dish that is packed with fiber, nutrition and good fats. On a lazy evening, a light dinner could consist of just this salad.
The spicy peanut sauce is very flexible in that you can easily adjust the flavor by changing the ratio of the ingredients. In this recipe, I used a very balanced ratio so the sauce has a nutty savory taste without being overly sweet. If you have a sweet tooth, simply increase the amount of peanut butter until you’re satisfied with the taste. I really like to use the crunchy peanut butter in this one. A bite of crisp green beans topped with sweet, spicy peanut bits is heavenly!
In the recipe, I will also introduce a way to make fresh chili oil, which tastes better than the bottled variety. If you want to use chili oil from the supermarket, you could add a teaspoon of sesame seeds into the salad to add flavor.
Green Beans with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 250 grams (9 ounces) green beans , tough ends removed
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 star anise
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and simmer until beans are cooked through. Run tap water over the beans to cool down. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add peanut butter, light soy sauce and vinegar. Mix well and set aside.
- To cook chili oil (*see footnote), add chili flakes, peppercorn, star anise and sesame seeds into a small bowl. Place the bowl on a heat resistant mat (or cutting board). Heat oil in a wok (or a skillet) until hot, when the oil just starts to smoke. Turn off heat immediately. Carefully use a ladle to transfer oil to the bowl of mixed spices. The oil will bubble for a few seconds and cook the spices. When the the oil stops bubbling, immediately use a spoon to stir gently, to mix everything well.
- Place the green beans on a plate and top with peanut sauce and garlic. Gradually add spicy oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, and mix everything well. Taste the salad to see whether it's spicy to your liking. You can add more chili oil if you prefer a spicier dish.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- There will be leftover chili oil generated by this recipe. You can store it at room temperature for about 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
I don’t think I’ve ever tasted Chinese tahini before. Now I will be on the lookout for it ;). I love the idea of tossing the green beans with spicy peanut sauce. The addition of star anise is brilliant! And your dan dan noodles..I must make it soon! Hope you’re having a great week so far, Maggie!
I was really surprised that Chinese tahini is such a rare thing in the US! It’s quite common in average Chinese household and I thought it’s just like soy sauce and rice vinegar, people will know them if they cook some sort of Asian food. I have to check out the China town next time when I go to the US. Quite curious about their selection of Chinese cooking ingredients.
Happy cooking and have a great week too! 🙂
This looks soooo delicious. I have some green beans to use up and I’m excited to try out your recipe! Thanks Maggie!
Hi Annie, I’m so glad you like my green beans recipe! Have fun cooking and let me know how it goes! 🙂
yum.. these beans look so delicious, the perfect side dish! love the peanut sauce..
Thanks Thalia! Yes, they are great for side dish. Very easy to make and delicious!
I have never heard the Chinese tahini before. I would love to try sometime.
That being said this dish looks so healthy and delicious.
It looks like I did a right thing to replace Chinese tahini with peanut butter. Otherwise, nobody will cook my recipe! Thanks and have a great day 🙂
Ohhhh I JUST finished a jar of Sichuan chile oil I had made to keep in the fridge. I want more so I can try this dish! I love peanuty sauces and I especially adore green beans….. and so perfect this time of year when they’re fresh and bright! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like this one Sophie! Happy cooking and have a lovely Sunday! 🙂
This dish looks incredibly delicious. Great photos, I love the vibrant colors and the beautiful reflections on the beans and the sauce. Well done!
In unrelated news, I just nominated you for a Liebster award, if you are interested in participating. 🙂
Thanks for commenting and the nomination! Of course I’d like to participate. I didn’t know about Liebster award until today, but it sounds a lot of fun! Hopping over to your blog to get the questions now. 🙂
Have a great week ahead!
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful post.
Thank you for supplying these details.
I love this dish. It is perfect. I’d love it along side some grilled chicken.
Thanks Michelle! Yeah, although the seasoning is on the Asian side, it goes great with all sorts of meat and poultry dishes. Happy cooking!
I love green beans and these added flavours just put them over the top! This is a dish that I would happily eat for lunch all by itself 🙂 Very creative, Maggie.
Thanks Robyn! Yes, green beans have quite meaty texture and those sauce is really appetizing. I ate them for a light dinner sometimes! One more tip, you could pour the sauce for boil chicken too. They go great together! 🙂
Made this recipe just as written and applied same over green beans and fun noodles: excellent.
I’m definitely entering this one into my recipe box. THANKS!
Oh yes the sauce definitely works great with noodles. And chicken. You can make a chicken noodle salad with this sauce and it will taste great.
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment and hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend Rob 🙂
Yum! Love that spicy peanut sauce and those green beans are the perfect bright green color!
Had picked up 2lbs of summer green beans, and was searching for a new preparation. You haven’t disappointed us, Maggie! Delicious as a fresh side to some leftover noodles, adorned with a bit of the extra chili oil. 😊 Thank you for another great recipe!
Love it – the beans have all the best tastes – spicy, nutty, juicy.
Even better the next day