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–+ servings
A wooden bowl of dry-fry green beans served over rice.

Dry-Fried Green Beans

This classic Sichuan dish starts with blistered green beans coated in crispy bits of pork, punchy preserved mustard greens and plenty of iconic mala flavor. It's fast. It's flavorful. And you can whip it up in less than 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • skillet or wok

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound green beans 400 g, trimmed but not cut
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil peanut, canola, vegetable all work
  • ½ cup ground pork
  • ¼ cup Sichuan Ya Cai aka preserved mustard greens (optional)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 3 scallions white parts only, sliced on the diagonal
  • 6 dried chili peppers rehydrated, and cut some of the pieces into halves; These are facing heaven chilies
  • 1 teaspoon red Sichuan peppercorn ground
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat to medium high. Then add the 1 pound of green beans WITHOUT oil, which will ensure any surface water evaporates for maximum charred, chewy goodness. This process will take 2-3 minutes.
  • Then, you’ll add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil or canola oil and continue the dry frying process until the green beans are crispy, charred, wilted, and cooked to your desired texture. This process can take up to 10 minutes, so be patient and keep an eye on your pan. If it starts to smoke, you can decrease to medium.
  • Remove the green beans and set aside. Then add in your ½ cup ground pork and fry until crispy and brown. Next, add your aromatics: 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 chopped scallions, 6 re-hydrated chili peppers, ¼ cup ya cai, and 1 teaspoon of ground red Sichuan peppercorn. Stir-fry for up to a minute and pour in the dark soy sauce, stirring to coat the pork.
  • Add the green beans back to the skillet and add the 1.5 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of black vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Toss to combine and taste, adding ¼ teaspoon of salt or more to reach your desired level of saltiness.
  • Serve over rice or as part of a family-style Chinese meal and enjoy!

Notes

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Keyword 20 minutes, 30 minute dinners, asian dishes, chinese food, green beans, pork
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