Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans are a very popular dish both in China and here in the US, as Sichuan cuisine becomes more prevalent. This dish is also known as Szechuan dry-fried green beans of Chinese stir-fried green beans but if the restaurant is any good, they are prepared using the same method and quite tasty.
I’m always a little reluctant to order this dish in restaurants, however, because the green beans are deep-fried. (If you didn’t already know this distressing fact, sorry for being the whistle blower!)
Deep-frying makes a healthy ingredient very unhealthy, so I’ve been contemplating how to modify the recipe to make it healthy and simple to follow. It’s funny, because when you think about the name of the dish in Chinese, 干煸四季豆(ganbian sijidou), it literally means “dry seared.” So rather than deep-frying the green beans (a method used in restaurants because it’s a faster process), I did just that—seared them in a dry wok without oil. The outcome was brilliant.
Also, just as a shout out to any vegetarians and vegans, you can easily omit the ground pork (you can just omit it all together or replace it with more of the pickled suimi yacai). It will still be super tasty.
You’ll need:
- 1 lb green beans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 cup ground pork
- 2 garlic, smashed and coarsely diced
- 2 dried red hot peppers, de-seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoon of sui mi ya cai (碎米芽菜), store bought
- 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine/shaoxing wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- A pinch of sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Heat your wok over high heat until just starting to smoke, and add the green beans and salt. Immediately lower the heat to medium low, and sear the green beans for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to see small scorch marks on the green beans.
During this process, gather the rest of the ingredients and have them ready. This is always very important to Chinese cooking–the actually time on the stove is usually very short, so having everything prepared and ready to go is essential!
Once the beans are somewhat tender, take them out of the wok and set aside.
Heat the oil in your wok over medium high heat and brown the pork. It should only take a couple minutes.
Add the garlic and chili, and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the sui mi ya cai, and stir everything together. Cook for another minute.
Toss in the seared green beans, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Crank the heat back up to high and stir-fry for a final minute.
And you’re done! Wasn’t that fast? Serve these healthy Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans immediately.
Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans (450g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 cup ground pork
- 2 garlic (smashed and coarsely diced)
- 2 dried red hot peppers (de-seeded and diced)
- 2 tablespoon sui mi ya cai (碎米芽菜, store bought)
- 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat your wok over high heat until just starting to smoke, and add the green beans and salt. Immediately lower the heat to medium low, and sear the green beans for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to see small scorch marks on the green beans. During this process, gather the rest of the ingredients and have them ready. Once the beans are somewhat tender, take them out of the wok and set aside.
- Heat the oil in your wok over medium high heat and brown the pork. Add the garlic and chili, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the sui mi ya cai, and stir everything together. Cook for another minute.
- Toss in the seared green beans, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Crank the heat back up to high and stir-fry for a final minute. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Mary says
My husband and I love your recipes for gan bian si ji dou. We lived in Beijing for 13 years and we ate this often while living there. Our favorite restaurants made this dish with both the sui mi ya cai and sichuan peppercorns, so we also include both ingredients when we make it at home.
I wanted to reply to the person who asked about using the air fryer. I make the green beans for this dish in my convection oven, set on a bake/broil combination. I love the results because it requires just a misting of oil, but you get crispy blistered skins on the beans and some nice bits of charring. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for so many fantastic recipes that take us back to our “second home.”
Judy says
Thank you for the tip. I’ll have to try it next time.
Lacy says
I’m just curious: do you think one could dry fry the beans in an air fryer? I have one, I might give it a try…
Judy says
I thinks it’s good idea, Lacy!
John Leitch says
Hi Judy!
The mystery ingredient sui mi ya cai is fermented mustard greens. I get mine at Fung Wa Market in Brooklyn. Thanks for a great recipe.
Judy says
You are very welcome, John.
John Leitch says
Judy a quick correction- the market is Fei Long, not Fung Wa, at 6301 Eighth Ave., Brooklyn.
TC says
I made this recipe today and it was excellent! I used bacon grease instead of pork. Because everything is better with bacon.
I use the Sui mi ya cai in Dan Dan Noodles, now I have another dish that I can use this ingredient for. Thanks
Judy says
So glad you enjoyed both dishes.
Leila Douglas says
TRIED THIS LAST NIGHT —- SUBSTITUTED * SAMBAL OELEK AS WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY DRIED RED HOT PEPPERS .
GREAT RECIPE , IS NOW ON OUR FAVOURITES LIST .
* WE USE THE PRODUCT FROM —- HUY FONG FOODS , IRWINDALE, CA , . WE USED 3 HEAPED TEASPOONS , AND FOUND IT GREAT .
Judy says
Sounds lovely, Leila.
nana says
Woooow! I can’t wait to try this out!!
I had this dish when I was in my Chinese friend’s house and I fell in love with it !
Thank you for sharing the recipe! I’ll buy the green beans and try to find the sui mi ya cai where I live tomorrow !
Cheers, from Korea! :)
Judy says
Hi Nana, hope you like our recipe.
Suzy says
Do the green beans come out super crunchy as when deep fried?
Judy says
Hi Suzy, if you “dry-fry” the green beans (using low heat) long enough, the green beans will soften. I sometimes just cook the green beans this way and salt them at the end with a little bit of oil. It’s simple and tastes great.
Cindy Moy says
This came out Delicious!!! I made this twice for my Fiancé and he loved it!!
Judy says
So glad you like it. Thank you, Cindy.
Charles Hall says
Thanks again for the super vegan-able recipes.
I have a small problem. I live in Saudi Arabia and there is NO NO NO NO type of wine/alcohol available. Nope. And we can’t even bring our own in.
What should/can I substitute for the seemingly ubiquitous shaoxing wine?
Xie Xie!!!
Judy says
Hi Charles, you can eliminate the Shaoxing wine. Shaoxing wine does help to improve taste, but it does not fundamentally change it.