Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
乾煸四季豆
Recipe overview
Slowly pan-fry green beans with a modest amount of oil until wrinkled and cooked through, then toss with minced pork and preserved mustard shoots. This household pan version relies on fully cooked beans, not merely browned skins.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g Green beans
- 80 g Minced pork
Stir-fry sauce
- 20 g Chopped Sichuan preserved mustard shoots
- 10 g Minced garlic
- 5 g Minced ginger
- 3 g Dried red chillies
- 10 ml Light soy sauce
- 2 g Sugar
Cooking oil
- 30 ml Cooking oil (25 ml for beans and 5 ml for pork)
02
Tools
- 30 cm frying pan
- Knife, board and kitchen paper
- Spatula and tongs
- Small bowl, plate and food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect beans
Choose firm green beans and discard any rotten or badly discoloured sections.
Step 2
Trim and cut
Trim ends and tough strings, then cut into similar 5 cm lengths.
Step 3
Wash and dry
Wash and drain beans thoroughly, then dry their surfaces with kitchen paper to prevent oil splashes.
Step 4
Prepare aromatics
Mince garlic and ginger, snip chillies and remove some seeds, drain preserved shoots and keep pork chilled.
Step 5
Mix seasoning
Mix 10 ml light soy with 2 g sugar and place beside the pan.
Step 6
Heat oil and add beans
Heat 25 ml oil over medium heat until fluid but not smoking, then spread dry beans in the pan.
Step 7
Pan-fry until wrinkled
Pan-fry over medium heat about 8–10 minutes, turning every 30 seconds until wrinkled with brown patches on all sides.
Step 8
Check beans thoroughly
Cut open the thickest bean: the centre must be fully tender without raw hardness; cook longer if needed, since brown patches alone are insufficient.
Step 9
Remove beans and fry pork
Remove cooked beans, add 5 ml oil to the same pan and stir-fry minced pork about 2 minutes, breaking it up until colour changes throughout.
Step 10
Fry preserved shoots and aromatics
Add ginger, garlic, dried chilli and preserved shoots; fry over medium heat about 30 seconds until fragrant without blackening the chillies.
Step 11
Return beans and season
Return beans and toss with soy-sugar mixture; pork must reach 75°C at the centre, so continue cooking if needed.
Step 12
Serve without excess liquid
Plate once no excess liquid remains; remove unwanted dried chilli pieces while eating.
Common mistakes
- Browned skin does not mean a cooked bean centre.
- Wet beans cause oil splashes.
- Very high heat burns beans before the inside cooks.
- Extra salt ignores the saltiness of preserved shoots.
Tips
Bean thickness and pan size affect the 13-minute cooking estimate; extend it until fully cooked. A 30 cm pan limits crowding for 400 g beans. Do not rush with fierce heat, and do not taste undercooked green beans.
