Crispy Green Beans with Horseradish Wasabi Dip

I don't like to deep fry.  Mostly because I once had a kitchen fire (long story!)  but when I saw this recipe I had to try it.  The fresh green beans are boiled,  breaded and deep-fried.  The beans are crispy  and served with a zesty buttermilk ranch dressing that gets its kick from wasabi and horseradish.  I got the original recipe from allrecipes.com  and made a few changes.  I'll be making these again!

Ingredients:

Dip:

1/2 cup buttermilk ranch dressing

1/4 cup peeled, seeded, and finely chopped cucumber

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Green Beans Ingredients:

4 cups water

1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

	1.  Make the dip by combining the buttermilk ranch dressing, cucumber, horseradish, wasabi, salt, and cayenne pepper into a blender. Blend on low until well mixed. Pour into a small bowl and refrigerate (can be made ahead). The dip will thicken as it chills.
	2.  Place the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the beans, cover, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until beans are bright green and tender, about 8 minutes. Immediately drain beans into a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool.
	3.  Combine the beaten egg with milk in a shallow bowl. Place the flour in another shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Working with a handful of beans at a time, dip each bean first into flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumb mixture. Place beans on a plate until all are coated.
	4.  Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet (or use a deep fat fryer) over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the beans several at a time, without crowding, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with horseradish wasabi dip.