Green Bean and Potato Stew

Green beans and potatoes were always a staple in our home cook meals. My mom likes to use the leftovers from Red Braised Ribs or Braised Chicken as a base, and cook some green bean and potato in it to make a hearty stew. These braised dishes use a soy sauce based sauce with a lot of aromatics for a very savory taste, combined with the umami of the meat. The green bean and potato absorb the sauce and taste super rich and delicious.

But when we don’t have a leftover meat stew, this recipe really comes in handy. It uses just a few ingredients to make a hearty veggie stew that is just as rich in taste. It’s very easy to put together too, making it a great side dish for your weekday meals.

• 2 tablespoon tian mian jiang (sweet flour sauce)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 2 cloves garlic , sliced
• 1 green onion , sliced, green and white parts separated
• 1/2 lb (225 g) green beans , tough ends removed
• 1 (225 g / 1/2 lb) russet potato , halved then sliced into 1/4” (1/2 cm) thick pieces
• 1 1/2 cups water