SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - I tasted this French beans dish at a restaurant and thought it a great way to use sakura ebi, a type of small red shrimp from Japan.

It has a toasty and crispy texture that is quite different from the dried prawn usually used.

Another key ingredient is preserved radish. I used sweet preserved radish from Thailand.

To reduce the saltiness, I soaked it for 10 minutes before rinsing it and chopping it up.

There are mainly two types of salted preserved radish - sweet or salty.

You can use either one, depending on your preference.

For a healthier version, you can blanch or steam the French beans instead of frying them.

French Beans With Sakura Ebi

INGREDIENTS

50ml cooking oil
250g French beans, diagonally sliced into 5cm pieces
30g garlic, chopped
30g shallot, chopped
40g preserved sweet radish, chopped
15g sakura ebi (shrimp)
Dash of pepper
Small pinch of salt (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan or wok over medium heat.

2. Add the French beans to the pan and fry for two minutes until the edges are slightly browned. (Below)

3. Turn off the heat and place French beans on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.

4. Reserve two tablespoons of oil and discard the rest.

5. In a clean frying pan or wok, heat the two tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

6. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

7. Add the shallot and fry for a minute. (Below)

8. Add the chopped preserved radish and fry for two minutes until fragrant.

9. Add the sakura ebi and fry for 1½ minutes. (Below)

Serves four with rice.