Stir-fry French Beans (Malay style)

I love french beans cooked in any way ..steamed, blanced or stir-fried.  This time I am posting a more typical malay style stir-fried french beans.  Typically, the ingredients consists of chilli, onion, garlic and dried shrimps or anchovies.  You can use any vege of your choice.  I can have this on its own or with hot steaming rice with no other condiments.  You can make it spicy by adding bird's eye chilli or make it less spicy by removing the chilli seeds.   

I used my trusty old pestle and mortar because I love the biting to the bits of chilli and onion.  I always find using it gives your dish a better flavour.

Dump all the ingredients, ready to be pounded :-)

How it looks like after pounding 

What you need:

1 pack of french beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium carrot, julienned

1 medium onion

1 clove medium garlic

1 large fresh chilli, seeds removed (more if you like it spicy)

1T dried shrimp, soaked

salt to taste

2T oil

What you do:

1. Pound onion, chilli, garlic and salt in the pestle and mortar or blend it in the blender

2. Heat 2T of oil in a wok, once it's hot, add the pounded ingredients and fry till fragrant (you will love the smell)

3. Throw in the veges, stir it with the spices till they are well coated

4. Add 1 or 2T of water if it is too dry otherwise let it simmer for about 5-10mins till they are cooked

5. Turn the fire off and serve