Stir-Fried Chicken with Green Beans & Mushrooms

Slicing the green beans lengthwise into quarters and blanching them might seem fussy, but it makes a big difference in their texture, so try not to skip this step. Serve this stir-fry with plenty of long-grain white rice, preferably Thai jasmine rice.

• 6 oz. green beans, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise into quarters (about 2 cups)
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 Tbs. Thai Flavor Paste
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (6-to 8-oz.), sliced thinly against the grain
• 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
• 1 or 2 fresh bird chiles or 1 fresh serrano chile or 1 small fresh jalapeño, minced
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 8 oz. fresh brown or shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps thinly sliced (to yield about 21/2-cups)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the quartered green beans and blanch until bright green and still crunchy but no longer raw tasting, about 1 minute. Drain, shock in cold water, drain again, and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet or stir-fry pan over high heat for 1 min. Add the Thai flavor paste; stir-fry for 30 seconds to distribute the paste in the oil. Add the chicken and stir constantly until it turns white. Add the ginger and chiles; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and sea salt; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the green beans and mushrooms. Stir-fry to mix and combine. Add the wine and stir until the chicken is cooked, the beans are slightly soft but crunchy, and the mushrooms are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.