Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
This classic Sichuan dish features green beans dry-fried to blistered perfection, then tossed in a savory, spicy, and slightly sweet sauce. It's a popular takeout favorite that's surprisingly easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 500 g green beans trimmed
- 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 4-6 dried Sichuan chilies whole or broken
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns whole (optional)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for color
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil.
- Add the trimmed green beans to the hot wok in a single layer. Dry-fry without stirring for 3-5 minutes until they start to blister and char in spots.
- Stir the beans and continue dry-frying, stirring occasionally, for another 5-7 minutes until tender-crisp and deeply blistered. Remove beans from wok and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add minced garlic, ginger, dried Sichuan chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns (if using). Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return the green beans to the wok. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and salt. Toss quickly to coat all the beans evenly.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and cling to the beans.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately as a side dish or with steamed rice.
Notes
For extra heat, add more dried chilies or a dash of chili oil. You can also add minced pork or ground chicken for a heartier dish by stir-frying it before adding the aromatics. Serve hot with steamed rice for a complete meal.