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The Spruce
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
210 | Calories |
5g | Fat |
33g | Carbs |
11g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 3 to 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 210 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 5g | 6% |
Saturated Fat 1g | 3% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 310mg | 13% |
Total Carbohydrate 33g | 12% |
Dietary Fiber 12g | 41% |
Protein 11g | |
Calcium 88mg | 7% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
This popular Sichuan dish is a staple at many Chinese restaurant buffets. What makes it characteristic of Szechuan cooking is not only the added spice but also the technique of dry-frying. Dry-frying isn't totally "dry," but you do use less oil and cook the vegetable for longer than if you were stir-frying. The idea is to dehydrate the green beans, concentrating the flavor and making them nice and crispy and somewhat charred. The resulting wrinkled exterior creates little nooks and crannies, perfect for holding in the sauce, allowing you to use less and letting the vegetable take center stage.
Watch Now: Delicious Chinese Green Bean Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans
- For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon bean sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Other Stir-Fry Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or peanut oil, divided)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 scallions (white part only, chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili paste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Wash the green beans and drain thoroughly. Trim the ends and cut on the diagonal into pieces approximately 2 inches long.
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Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
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Heat the wok over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil, drizzling the oil down the sides of the wok.
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When the oil is hot, add the beans. Stir-fry for 7 to 10 minutes, until their skins pucker and turn brown and the green beans are tender without being mushy. Remove the beans from the wok.
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Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic, ginger, and scallions. Stir-fry briefly for a few seconds until aromatic.
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Add the chili paste and stir to combine.
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Add the sauce and the green beans to the wok and toss the ingredients together.
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Serve hot and enjoy!
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Tips
- Chinese bean sauce is a mixture of fermented soybeans, water, salt, wheat flour, sugar, and sesame oil. It is available at Asian markets (Koon Chun is a good brand) but if you can't find any you can substitute hoisin sauce (although it is a bit sweeter than bean sauce).
- You may come across other versions of bean sauce labeled "sweet bean paste," "black bean garlic sauce," or "spicy bean sauce." Each contains different ingredients from regular bean sauce and thus will impart a slightly different taste, but feel free to use if needed.
- While a wok is the preferred cooking tool for this recipe, if you don't have one, you can still make these beans. Use the largest frying pan you have and get it as hot as possible.
Recipe Variations
- This recipe calls for regular green beans, but if you like (and can find them) you can substitute Chinese green beans. They are thinner and longer than the standard bean. For a dramatic presentation, skip the step of cutting the beans into pieces and serve them whole.
- You can also substitute 4 to 6 small dried red chilies for the chili paste, or cut down on a bit on the spice if you like your food milder tasting.
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