Kitchen Recipe Collection
Dry-fried Green Beans (Gan Bian Si Jiao)
Sichuan blistered green beans. Long beans are deep-fried until wrinkled, then wok-tossed with crispy minced pork, dried chilies, and savory Ya Cai.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 500g fresh Chinese long beans or regular green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 100g ground pork
- 2 tbsp Sui Mi Ya Cai (preserved mustard greens)
- 6 dried Sichuan red chilies, snipped in half
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
- Oil for shallow frying
Equipment
- Wok
- Strainer
Instructions
- 1
Dry the Beans
It is critical that the green beans are completely dry after washing. Pat them down with a towel. Water will cause dangerous splattering.
- 2
Heat Oil
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a wok to 350°F (175°C).
- 3
Dry-fry Beans
Deep-fry the green beans in batches for 2-3 minutes. They will blister, wrinkle, and shrink. This dehydrates them and concentrates their sweetness.
- 4
Drain
Remove the wrinkled beans and drain them on paper towels.
- 5
Clear the Wok
Pour out the frying oil, leaving just 1 tbsp in the wok.
- 6
Fry Pork
Add the ground pork. Stir-fry until the fat renders and the pork becomes crispy and browned.
- 7
Add Aromatics
Add the garlic, ginger, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns to the pork. Toss for 30 seconds.
- 8
Add Ya Cai
Stir in the preserved mustard greens (Ya Cai) and fry for another minute to release its umami flavor.
- 9
Return Beans
Toss the blistered green beans back into the wok.
- 10
Season
Add the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine around the edges of the wok.
- 11
Toss
Toss everything together rapidly over high heat for 1 minute so the savory pork and spices cling to the wrinkled beans.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately. The beans should be tender, chewy, and slightly crisp on the outside.
Cooking Tips
- Restaurants deep-fry the beans for speed. At home, you can 'dry-fry' them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until blistered, though the texture is slightly different.
- Ya Cai (preserved mustard stems) is essential for the authentic savory punch of this dish.
Variations
- Vegan Version: Omit the pork entirely, or substitute with minced firm tofu or shiitake mushrooms.
Nutrition Estimate
210 calories · 8g protein · 12g carbs · 15g fat · 5g fiber per serving
