Stir Fried Green Beans wih Peanut Sauce, Fresh Tofu, and Chiles

This is one of my all time favorite recipes from a really great cookbook, Tyler Florence's Eat This Book. Everything I have ever made out of it is delicious, and I have actually made this recipe four times this year already. It takes about half an hour total to prepare, and also makes great leftovers. We used this to finish off our dinner last night.

Stir Fried Green Beans with Peanut Sauce, Fresh Tofu, and Chiles (Adapted from Eat This Book)

1/2 cup peanut oil
1 1/4 pounds green beans, halved on the bias, or snow peas
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped, or 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 dried red chile, or red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 (15 ounce) block of firm tofu, cut in one inch cubes
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, sliced crosswise into rounds
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Pour the peanut oil into a large sauté pan or wok and place over high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes, remove to a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Sauté the tofu in the same pan until it begins to brown on the sides.
Add the ginger, garlic, onions, and chile to the pan, and stir fry until you can smell the fragrance of the aromatics. Return the green beans to the pan and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the stock and cornstarch to make a slurry and add that to the pan (I have skipped this step before and it is fine without it too). Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and peanut butter. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the beans are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with sliced jalapeño and chopped peanuts, and serve with steamed rice.

Serves 4.