Chinese dry fried green beans is a classic Szechuan dish: Green beans are charred in a hot wok along with savory bacon, garlic, ginger, and chiles.
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Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans is a Perfect Side Dish
These Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans are my take on the classic Sichuan dish that is usually studded with ground pork. The first time I used bacon in this dish was simply because I had it in the fridge, but I loved the hit of smoky flavor. I love it as a side dish because it’s mostly vegetable, but packed with flavor not just from the bacon, but also ginger, garlic, and chili paste.
To be authentic, the dish also should have Sichuan peppercorns and preserved mustard greens. These are delicious additions, but you probably don’t have them in your pantry. You can buy them at an Asian market and add them along with the chile paste and soy sauce. This recipe is a simplified version that uses ingredients you likely already have on hand or can find easily in your regular supermarket.
What does dry fried mean?
Dry frying means cooking in a very hot pan with little oil and other liquid. The idea is to dry out the food being fried and char the outside, giving it both flavor and texture, as well as nooks and crannies for the seasonings to stick to. The result is similar to what you get by cooking food on a very hot grill. Any liquids used to season the dish, like soy sauce or chile paste, are added after the food is dry fried.
Can I make this dish without a wok?
Yes, absolutely. I don’t use a wok. I use a large cast-iron skillet, which gets very hot, like a wok, so it is great for getting that charred and blistered effect on your green beans.
What should I serve with Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans?
I like to serve this dish with steamed rice. Personally, I like brown rice, but white rice is good, too. The combination makes a great meal.
more chinese recipes you’ll love
- Mongolian Chicken
- Crispy Chilli Beef
- Char Siu
- Char Siu Bao
- Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Har Gow Chinese Shrimp Dumplings
- Singapore Noodles
- Sesame Noodles
- Pork Fried Rice
- Szechuan Shrimp
- Hoisin Spare Ribs
- Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans
- Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles
- Sesame Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Fried Wontons
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- Mantou Chinese Steamed Buns
Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 strips thick-cut bacon diced
- 1 pound green beans trimmed
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2- inch piece ginger peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain off the excess bacon grease (leave just enough to coat the bottom of the pan).
- Add the green beans and salt to the pan and cook, stirring, until they begin to blister and brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the sesame oil and toss the green beans to distribute it throughout the pan (which by now is probably dry.) Add the garlic and ginger and return the bacon to the pan. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the chili paste and soy sauce and stir for about 30 seconds more, until well combined. Remove from the heat and transfer the beans to a serving platter. Serve hot.
How can this dish have 14 carbs and 7 grams od sugar?
My apologies, Mary, but I don’t have the answer to that. The nutrition information is calculated by the plugin that I use to post recipes and I don’t have any control over it. I do include a disclaimer that the numbers are only estimates and since my blog does not promise recipes within any particular nutritional guidelines (eg low carb, keto, etc) I don’t pay too much attention to that stuff. If you are on a low-carb (or other) diet, I would recommend running the ingredients through whatever calculator you normally use and/or have found to be accurate.