The people in China’s Szechwan province create many kinds of braised hot chili pepper dishes. Since fresh jalapeño peppers are accessible in most supermarkets, you can make this wonderful and spicy side dish at home.

1 pound fresh green jalapeño peppers
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non stick wok or a fry pan)
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:
Wash the peppers and remove the stems. Cut each pepper lengthwise in half and then into quarters. Use a small knife to carefully cut out the white color membranes with seeds. Try not to touch them with your fingers as they are very hot!

To Cook:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non-stick wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add peppers. Cook and brown the peppers for about 5 minutes. Add white vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook and stir until the peppers are soft and tender for about 10 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.  Goes well with steaks and other meats.

Makes 6 to 8 servings as a side dish
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Szechuan-style green beans are my favorite Chinese veggie side dish. It was only recently however that I realized that those healthy green beans are deep-fried before stir-fried in restaurants. No wonder they tasted so good!?! Here’s a spicy and delicious alternative we now make at home minus the frying oil.

1 pound fresh green beans
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non-stick wok or a fry pan)
1 teaspoon dried crushed red chili peppers
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce*
1 teapsoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Wash and break off the stringy tips of the green beans and discard. Break each green bean in half. Crush, peel and finely chop the garlic.

To Cook:
Heat oil in a non-stick wok or a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, brown garlic and red chili peppers for a few seconds. Add green beans. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add water, hoisin sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until all the liquid is nearly absorbed and the green beans are tender, approx. 14 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 17 minutes

*Hoisin sauce is a sweet brown sauce made from soybeans.  Sold in jars or bottles at the Asian section of most supermarkets.  After opening, it can be stored for several months in the refrigerator.

I know, many of you may be thinking “Yuck! I hate brussels sprouts”.  I only started liking brussels sprouts recently because of my father-in-law. Now I love them. And since it’s the season, some of you may want to try this recipe as a Thanksgiving side dish. We happen to think that Chinese-style is the most delicious way to prepare them so we figured it’s worth a shot…

1 pound brussels sprouts
4 strips of hickory smoked bacon
½ small yellow onion
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
4 cups water (for boiling the brussels sprouts)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:
Wash and trim the ends of the brussels sprouts. Cut each brussels sprout lengthwise in half. Cut bacon into ½ inch pieces. Cut onion into ½ inch chunks. In a small bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.

To Cook:
Bring water to a boil. Add the brussels sprouts to the boiling water and blanch for approx. 7 to 8 minutes (until they are almost tender). Drain water and set aside. Heat a non-stick wok or a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces. Cook and stir until the bacon caramelizes for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the cooked brussels sprouts, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sugar to wok. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes. Add dissolved cornstarch to wok, and stir-fry for a few seconds until the liquid thickens and adheres to the sprouts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes