Dry-Fried Green Beans (Gan Bian Si Ji Dou)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin

China (Sichuan)

Description

A sensational Sichuan classic. Fresh, slender green beans undergo a specialized "dry-frying" technique in hot oil until their vibrant skins blister, wrinkle, and dehydrate. They are then stir-fried with small, intensely flavorful bits of seasoned ground pork, garlic, ginger, and highly savory, fermented Sichuan preserved mustard greens (Ya Cai).

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served piled high in a shallow bowl or plate, with the wrinkled green beans glistening and coated in a dry tumble of dark, savory pork crumbles and aromatic bits. Eaten with chopsticks.

Ingredients

• 450g (1 lb) fresh Chinese long beans or regular string green beans (trimmed)

• 100g (3.5 oz) ground pork

• 3 tbsp Sichuan preserved mustard greens (Sui Mi Ya Cai)

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)

• 2 scallions (finely sliced)

• 3-4 dried red Chinese chilies (coarsely chopped, optional)

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for blister-frying)

The Stir-Fry Seasoning:

• 1 tsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine (for pork)

• 1/4 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Blister the Beans: Heat the 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the dry green beans in batches. Fry them for 4–6 minutes, tossing regularly, until the skins turn completely blistered, puckered, and wrinkled. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Discard all but 1.5 tablespoons of oil from the wok.

2. Brown Pork: Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and a splash of Shaoxing wine. Break it up with a spatula and fry for 2 minutes until it is cooked through, crumbly, and slightly crispy.

3. Aromatics & Ya Cai: Push the meat to one side of the wok. Drop in the minced garlic, ginger, scallions, chopped dried chilies, and the Ya Cai mustard greens. Stir-fry for 45 seconds until intensely aromatic.

4. Re-incorporate Beans: Return the blistered green beans back into the wok with the pork mixture. Turn the heat up to maximum high.

5. Season and Dry-Fry: Drizzle the light soy sauce and sugar over the entire mixture. Toss everything together rapidly and continuously for 2 minutes, allowing the beans to absorb the deeply savory profile of the aromatics and pork.

6. Plating: Drizzle with sesame oil, give a final stir, and scoop onto a serving dish.

Cooking Tips

• Spotting the Blister: Do not be afraid when the bean skins start to look wrinkled and slightly charred. This dehydration step is exactly what gives this dish its famous tender-yet-snappy texture and allows the savory pork and Ya Cai seasonings to cling to the beans.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~180 kcal

• Total Fat: 12g

• Saturated Fat: 2.5g

• Cholesterol: 20mg

• Sodium: ~420mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 10g

• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Sugars: 3g

• Protein: 8g