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- Crispy gan bian green beans
Crispy gan bian green beans
Ingredients
Step by step process
Prep and dry frying the beans
- 1
Wash the gan bian green beans and pat them dry. Trim off any leftover stems. Dry ones sear far better in the wok than wet ones, which make the oil spit.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in the wok over higher heat. Tip them in as a single layer and let them rest undisturbed for a moment so they blister.
- 3
Dry fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning them every so often. The skins should shrivel, wrinkle and brown slightly in places.
- 4
Move the seared batch aside onto a plate for a moment. That leaves room in the wok for the aromatics so nothing scorches.
Aromatics and finishing
- 5
Add the chopped garlic, grated ginger and broken dried chili to the wok. Stir fry briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
TIP:Heat the oil to medium-high temperature, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté them until the onion becomes translucent and golden and they release an intense aroma. Proper sautéing creates a rich flavor without burning.
- 6
Toss in the Sichuan pepper and stir. On the hot surface the pepper releases its citrusy aroma and the signature tingle on the tongue.
- 7
Return the vegetables, drizzle with soy sauce and sprinkle with sugar. Warm through briefly so the flavors meld and only a trace of liquid remains.
- 8
Take the wok off the heat and drizzle the dish with sesame oil. Toss and serve right away with steamed rice.
TIP:Add sesame oil at the end of cooking or to finished dishes to preserve its aroma and flavor, which would be lost through heat treatment.
More tips:
Toast the dried chili and Sichuan pepper briefly in a dry pan before you add them. Warmed spices smell more intense and release their essential oils better.
For the classic Sichuan version with meat, add a spoonful of chopped preserved ya cai vegetable or a little ground pork. The meatless version, though, works beautifully as a side.
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Topic: Chinese Cuisine
