Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans

Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans is a classic Sichuan stir-fry dish that is easy to make, and full of salty, garlicky, sour and spicy-sweet notes. Blistered green beans, browned ground pork, fragrant aromatics, and preserved mustard greens are stir-fried in a wicked delicious and spicy Sichuan-style sauce!

this recipe

Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans, or Gan Bian Si Ji Dou (干煸四季豆) a popular Sichuan dish that’s made with scorched green beans, ground pork, garlic, and preserved mustard greens.

Different versions exist, and many restaurants will have different styles of making it. In my version of this dish, I’ve incorporated Sichuan Pixian dou ban jiang to add TONS of flavor and umami notes. I’ve also used the same killer tasty and addictive sauce that I use in my Stir-fried Garlic Scapes with Pork & Tofu dish.

The result is magnificent, super tasty, and guaranteed to have you coming back for a second helping!

While this dish is called Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans, the beans are typically deep-fried in restaurants! 🤭 However, I’ve opted to shallow-fry the green beans in this recipe. The main benefit of shallow-frying the beans is that it allows us to produce the final stir-fry dish much quicker than the dry-frying technique.

It also is healthier than deep-frying, even if not as healthy as dry-frying. However, if you prefer not to shallow-fry, you can use the dry-frying technique (which requires less oil) that I’ve described in the recipe card below. But be prepared for a lengthier cook time.

Why This Recipe Works

• It’s quick and easy to make, and tastes delicious with a bowl of steamed rice!
• Shallow-frying the green beans makes this classic Sichuan dish slightly healthier than the deep-frying method that restaurants use.
• Pixian dou ban jiang adds plenty of flavor and umami notes to this bold flavored dish.
• You can customize it with your choice of protein, or make it vegetarian/vegan and/or gluten-free if needed.
• You can serve it as a main dish with some steamed rice, or as a side dish with rice and another Chinese main for a full restaurant-style meal!

Ingredients

• Dou Ban Jiang: This is a spicy, salty, and slightly sour paste made from fermented broad beans and chili peppers. I’ve used Sichuan Pixian dou ban jiang (which is most easily available online) for this recipe, but Lee Kum Kee’s chili bean sauce will work too. However, Lee Kum Kee’s chili bean sauce is sweeter and has additional flavoring ingredients. It tastes different than authentic Pixian dou ban jiang, and you may need adjust the quantity to taste if using it.
• Marinated Pork: I used ground pork as it is traditionally used in this dish. But you can use ground beef, chicken, or turkey instead if you prefer. I should add that I’ve used more pork than most restaurant versions do to make this dish substantial enough to serve as a main. But if serving as a side, you can use half the amount of pork, and then halve the marinade ingredients amounts too. (By the way, if you’re looking for a main to pair with this dish, look no further. This blog is full of delicious Sichuan and Chinese classics, and some non-classic delicious creations for you to enjoy. So have a browse and find a new favorite today!)
• Yardlong Green Beans: These are long green beans and are also known as snake beans because of their long skinny shape. I used dark green beans, but the light ones will work too. Look for them in produce shops in Chinatown (if there’s one near you) or Asian supermarkets. If you’re based in Asia, they are available in wet markets. If you can’t find them, use string beans (ends trimmed and halved) instead.
• Red Chilies: I used plenty of Bird’s Eye red chilies, but any small hot red chilies will work. Adjust the quantity to taste to suit your heat level preference.
• Dried Red Chilies: I’ve used spicy Thai dried red chilies here, but milder Chinese dried red chilies are typically used. Feel free to use either, or use less or omit them if making this dish milder.
• Preserved/Pickled Mustard Tuber (zha cai – 榨菜): This is a salty, spicy, and slightly crunchy Chinese pickled vegetable made from the stems of mustard plants. Although ‘su mi ya cai’ – 碎米芽菜, a similar pickled green vegetable is usually used in this dish, I find that it’s milder counterpart, ‘zha cai’, works as a great substitute. Both are umami bombs and add such great flavor to this dish! They are usually sold in packets and are available in Asian supermarkets.
• Oil: Use any neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil for cooking.
• Peppercorn Chili Oil: This is made from Sichuan red peppercorns, but is only mildly spicy. Since only a small amount is used, it won’t give the dish the same numbing effect like Sichuan peppercorns do in Kung Pao Chicken. It simply boosts the spicy flavor in the sauce and gives it an extra kick! Look for it in Asian supermarkets or online, or leave it out if you wish to make this dish mild.
• Chili Oil (optional): This is a pure Chinese chili oil and does not have any chili flakes or seeds. Seek it out at an Asian supermarket. You could also use a Japanese version (La-Yu) if that’s easier to find. Omit it if you’d like to make this dish milder.

• Shao Xing Rice Wine: This is Chinese cooking wine that is available in Asian supermarkets and online. Use dry sherry as a substitute if unavailable.
• Dark Soy Sauce: This is less salty than light soy sauce, and is mainly used for color. If you don’t have any on hand, substitute with more light soy sauce.
• Oyster Sauce: Another staple sauce in Asian cooking. It’s made from oyster extracts, but does not taste strongly of oysters. It is thick and viscous, and has a salty-sweet flavor profile. Look for it in Asian supermarkets, or in the Asian sauces aisle in a well-stocked supermarket.
• Water (optional – not pictured): If you’d like this dish to have a bit of a sauce to be soaked up by steamed rice when eating, add a splash of water to the stir-fry sauce.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans

1. Shallow fry the green beans. In ¼ cup of oil over medium-high heat in a large wok. Once slightly wrinkled and scorched, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove (and reserve) all but a teaspoon of oil from the wok.

2. Cook the pork. Over high heat so that not too much cooking liquid is released, and the pork gets browned and slightly crisp. (The corn starch in the marinade will help to crisp up the pork and also thicken the sauce for the stir-fry later on). Transfer to a clean bowl and wipe out the wok.

3. Sauté the onion and dou ban jiang. Heat the remaining oils in the wok until hot, then add the dou ban jiang and onion. Sauté until slightly softened.

4. Stir-fry the aromatics. Add the garlic, red chilies, ginger, Thai dried red chilies, and pickled mustard tuber. Stir-fry briefly to combine until fragrant.

5. Add the cooked pork, beans, and stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for a minute or so, until everything is combined well and most of the sauce has been absorbed.

6. Toss through spring onion. Toss briefly to combine, then switch off the heat.

7. Serve! Transfer to a serving bowl/plate, and serve immediately with warm steamed rice!

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook’s Tips

• Thoroughly pat-dry the green beans after washing them. This will prevent oil from splattering when frying.
• Cook the pork over high heat. The meat should brown and crisp up slightly, and not stew in the cooking liquid that it may release if the heat is set too low.
• Use a large wok or heavy bottomed frying pan to cook this dish.

FAQs

More Sichuan Stir-fries

• Stir-fried Garlic Scapes with Pork & Tofu
• Yu Xiang Qie Zi (Fish-fragrant Eggplant)
• Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry
• Spicy Kung Pao Chicken
• Or browse the entire Sichuan and Stir-fry recipes collections.

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Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans

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Blistered green beans, browned ground pork, fragrant aromatics, and preserved mustard greens are stir-fried in a wicked delicious and spicy Sichuan-style sauce!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 14
• Cook Time: 10
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: Sichuan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Pork Marinade:

• 200 grams / 7 ounces Ground Pork
• ½ TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
• ½ TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine
• 1 TSP Oyster Sauce
• ¼ TSP Ground White Pepper
• ¼ TSP Sesame Oil
• ½ TSP Corn Starch

For the Stir-fry Sauce:

• 1 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
• ½ TSP Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 TSP Oyster Sauce
• 2 TSP Shao Xing Rice Wine
• 1 TSP Sesame Oil
• ½ TSP White Sugar
• 1 TBLS Water (optional)

For the Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans:

• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 250 grams / 8.81 ounces Yardlong Green Beans (I used dark green beans, but light green is fine too) – washed and pat-dried thoroughly, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 TSP Peppercorn Chili Oil
• ½ TSP Chili Oil
• 1 TBLS Dou Ban Jiang (Sichuan Pixian Dou Ban Jiang preferred)
• 1/3 medium Yellow Onion – finely chopped
• 1 Spring Onion – chopped, white and green parts separated
• 3 Garlic cloves – minced
• 1 TBLS minced Ginger
• 2–12 Red Chilies, to taste (I used Bird’s Eye, but any hot red chilies will work) – chopped
• 5–6 Thai Dried Red Chilies, to taste – stems removed
• 1 TBLS Pickled/Preserved Mustard Tuber (zha cai – regular or spicy)

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Instructions

Prep:

1. Marinate the pork: Combine the ground pork, low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, oyster sauce, ground white pepper, sesame oil, and corn starch in a medium sized bowl. Mix well to combine, then set aside.
2. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Prepare the green beans, yellow onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger, fresh red chilies, and Thai dried red chilies as indicated in the ‘ingredients section. Be sure to thoroughly pat-dry the green beans to avoid oil splattering when frying. Set aside.
3. Make the sauce: Whisk together the low sodium light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, sesame oil, and white sugar in a measuring cup (or small bowl) until combined well.

For the Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans:

1. Shallow-fry the green beans: Heat ¼ cup of canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the green beans and fry, sautéing the beans occasionally for 3-4 minutes, or until they start to wrinkle and are slightly scorched. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 TSP of oil from the wok (reserve the rest of the oil in a small bowl).
2. Cook the pork: Heat the 1 TSP of oil in the wok over high heat. Once hot, add the marinated pork and cook for 2 minutes, breaking up the lumps with your spatula as the pork cooks, until browned and slightly crisp, and cooked through. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. Discard cooking liquid in the wok (if any) and wipe it out with a paper towel.
3. Stir-fry the onion and aromatics: Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved canola oil, peppercorn chili oil, and chili oil into the wok and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the dou ban jiang, yellow onion, and spring onion white parts. Sauté for a minute until combined well and the onion has slightly softened. Add the garlic, ginger, fresh red chilies, Thai dried red chilies, and pickled mustard tuber. Stir-fry for 30 seconds to combine until fragrant.
4. Add the pork, beans, and stir-fry sauce: Add the cooked pork and green beans back into the wok and pour the sauce over everything. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until combined well and most of the sauce has been absorbed by the beans.
5. Toss through spring onion: Add the spring onion green parts and toss for 10 seconds to combine, then switch off the heat.
6. To Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl/plate and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

Equipment

Sichuan Pixian Dou Ban Jiang

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Thai Dried Red Chilies

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Preserved Mustard Tuber

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Notes

1. Ground pork: Ground beef, chicken, or turkey can be substituted.
2. Yardlong green beans: They’re also known as snake beans because of their long skinny shape. Look for them in produce shops in Chinatown (if there’s one near you), Asian supermarkets, or wet markets in you’re based in Asia. If unavailable, substitute with string beans (ends trimmed and halved).
3. Asian pantry staples: Look for dou ban jiang (Sichuan chili sauce/paste made from fermented broad beans and chili peppers), Shao Xing rice wine, oyster sauce, and pickled/preserved mustard tuber (zha cai – 榨菜), and dried Thai or Chinese red chilies in Asian supermarkets. You can use either su mi ya cai – 碎米芽菜, a similar pickled green vegetable or zha cai for this dish.
4. Chilies: Use less fresh and dried red chilies if you’d like to make this dish milder, or omit completely.
5. Dry-frying the green beans. If you’d like to make this dish healthier, you can dry fry the beans instead of shallow fry. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok over high heat. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the green beans. Sauté for 15-20 minutes, until the beans are slightly wrinkled and scorched. Then transfer the beans to a clean plate, and proceed with the rest of the recipe as indicated.
6. To make this vegetarian/vegan: Omit the ground pork and replace with either finely chopped Asian brown mushrooms (such as shitake mushrooms), or more yardlong green beans. You can also use a plant-based ground meat substitute instead. If using just the beans, I recommend using 454 grams / 1 pound green beans and frying them in two batches so that the wok doesn’t get overcrowded. Also, add the marinade ingredients to the stir-fry sauce in order to incorporate the same level of saltiness and flavor in the stir-fry dish. Be sure to use a vegetarian oyster sauce too.
7. To make this gluten-free: Use gluten free soy sauces, gluten-free oyster sauce (a vegetarian gluten-free oyster sauce if needed), and dry sherry instead of Shao Xing rice wine.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 361
• Sugar: 6.9g
• Sodium: 424.8mg
• Fat: 27g
• Saturated Fat: 5.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 19.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 18.7g
• Fiber: 1.9g
• Protein: 13.1g
• Cholesterol: 36mg

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