Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans (干煸四季豆)

Name: Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans (干煸四季豆)
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 350 g green beans; 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil; 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorn; 6 dried chilies; 80 g minced meat (pork, beef or chicken); 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon minced ginger; 1½ tablespoon Ya Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens); 1 teaspoon light soy sauce; ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

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5.0

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Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings
2 servings
Calories
242 kcal
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
Chinese

Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans (干煸四季豆)

Iris Warren

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A classic Sichuan dish, dry fried green beans deliver a wonderful combination of flavours. This recipe introduces three ways to dehydrate the beans without deep-frying. Vegan options provided.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the beans

350 g green beans about 12oz
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
¼ teaspoon salt

For stir-frying

1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorn
6 dried chilies or to taste
80 g minced meat (pork, beef or chicken) about 3oz, see note 1 for vegan options
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1½ tablespoon Ya Cai (Sichuan preserved mustard greens) see note 2 for substitutes
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

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Instructions

Prepare the beans

Wash green beans and trim off the stem end. Pat dry with a clean tea towel.
Put the beans, salt and oil into a resealable plastic bag. Shake and rub around to evenly coat the beans.

Dehydrate the beans (see note 3 & 4)

Option 1: Oven Roasting: Place the beans onto a roasting tray (large enough to avoid overlapping). Cook in a preheated oven at 220°C / 425°F (Fan 200°C / 400°F) for 12-15 minutes until the beans become slightly charred and blistered.
Option 2: Air Frying: Preheat the air-fryer at 200°C / 390°F for 3 mins. Add the beans then cook for 6-8 mins until they become pliable and blistered (Shake twice during the process).
Option 3: Pan Frying: Add the beans to an empty wok or deep frying pan(skillet). Turn the heat to medium-high. Fry for 12-15 mins. Stir and flip frequently for an even result. Dish out when they are slightly charred and blistered.

Stir-fry the dish

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok (or deep frying pan) over a high heat. Fry Sichuan peppercorn and dried chillies until fragrant (do not burn).
Stir in minced meat and Shaoxing rice wine. When the meat becomes pale, add garlic, ginger, Ya Cai and soy sauce. Fry for 1 minute or so.
Add the pre-cooked beans. Stir well to mix and combine everything. Serve immediately with plain rice and other savoury dishes.

Notes

Vegan option: You may simply skip the minced meat or replace it with dried shiitake mushroom (soaked and finely chopped).
Substitute for Ya Cai (芽菜). You may use other Chinese preserved vegetables, such as Zha Cai (榨菜, preserved mustard stem), Dong Cai (冬菜, Tianjin preserved vegetable), Gan Lan Cai (橄榄菜, Chinese olive vegetable) or Duo Jiao (剁椒, pickled chilies). Adjust the volume if necessary as they contains different levels of salt.
Apart from the above three ways to dehydrate the beans, you may also use the traditional method: deep frying.
The time required to dehydrate the beans may vary depending on the performance of your appliance and the size of the green beans.