Gan Bian Si Ji Dou

Dry-fried green beans are one of Sichuan cooking's most genius techniques: the beans are blistered and shriveled in a wok with minimal oil until their skins wrinkle and sweeten, then tossed with pork, preserved vegetables, and aromatics. The result is an intensely savory, slightly smoky dish that diners across China and the world find addictive.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1.1 lb) green beans (French beans or yard-long beans), trimmed
• 3 tbsp (45ml) vegetable oil
• 100g (3.5 oz) ground pork (or finely minced pork)
• 3 tbsp (45g) ya cai (Yibin preserved vegetables) or sui mi ya cai
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (5g) fresh ginger, minced
• 6 dried red chilies, halved
• 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5ml) dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Dry the green beans thoroughly with paper towels — any moisture will cause dangerous spattering in the hot wok.
2. Heat wok over high heat until smoking hot. Add 2 tbsp oil and the green beans. Spread them in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 minutes until blistered and charred on the underside.
3. Toss and continue stir-frying for 5 to 6 minutes total, stirring occasionally, until beans are wrinkled, deflated, and lightly charred all over. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add ground pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking into fine crumbles, until browned and slightly crisp at the edges.
5. Add dried chilies, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds.
6. Add ya cai and stir-fry 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Return beans to the wok. Add soy sauces, sugar, and Sichuan pepper. Toss everything together over high heat for 1 minute.
8. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Cook's Notes: Ya cai (芽菜) — Yibin pickled mustard sprouts — is the traditional and essential ingredient for depth of flavor. Find it in Chinese grocery stores or online. Yard-long beans work beautifully and are even more traditional in some regions. This dish is best made one serving at a time to maintain wok heat.