This dish features a punchy mix of savory and salty flavors that mixes well with ground pork or shiitake mushrooms.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green Beans: Trimmed and dried thoroughly (water will cause oil to splatter)
- 2-3 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 4 oz ground pork (optional)
- 3-4 cloves Garlic: Minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger: Minced.
- 3-5 Dried Red Chilies: Snapped in half (use more or less depending on your heat tolerance)
- 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns: Slightly crushed (this provides the signature "numbing" sensation)
- 2 tbsp Sui Mi Ya Cai: Sichuan preserved mustard greens; this is the "secret" restaurant ingredient for deep savory flavor (optional)
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Dry Sherry
- A dash of Sesame Oil
Instructions
- Blister the Beans (The "Dry-Fry"): Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans. Stir-fry them for 6–8 minutes. You want them to look shriveled, wrinkled, and have brown blister marks. Once they look "ugly" but smell amazing, remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Fry the Aromatics: If there is too much oil left, pour some out so only about 1 tbsp remains. Add the ground pork (if using) and cook until browned and crispy. Add the garlic, ginger, dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and preserved greens (Ya Cai). Fry for 30–60 seconds until the air smells spicy and fragrant.
- Toss and Season: Return the blistered green beans to the pan. Pour in the soy sauce, sugar, and Dry Sherry.
- The Finish: Toss everything together on high heat for 1 minute until the sauce has evaporated and the beans are coated in the aromatics. Turn off the heat and drizzle with a little sesame oil.
