I rarely share veggie recipes. This doesn’t mean I don’t cook veggies. Most of time, I simply stir fry vegetables, such as spinach, napa cabbage, and bok choy, with just a pinch of salt and 1-2 tbsp oil. Among all the veggies I cook, green beans are an exception. It is cooked more than just a quick stir frying. It does take some effort, but the ingredients are as simple.
I have an impression that most Chinese restaurants in the US have pan fried green beans on their menu. Besides green beans and garlic, restaurants could also add a little bit ground pork, minced fermented or pickled Chinese mustard, or fermented black bean to add additional flavor. The vivid green color together with aroma/flavor from garlic and other ingredients makes the dish goes very well with steamed white rice.
I never asked a chef or tried to research about how to keep the vivid green color of the beans. My theory is they quickly dip the beans in hot bath. That way, the color is kept, beans are cooked, and “wrinkles” are form. The beans would then be stirred and tossed with other ingredients.
I don’t have this kind of set up. I found out quickly boiling the beans and slowly toasting them with adequate amount of oil also gives satisfying results. To make it even simpler, I only kept green beans, salt, garlic, and oil in the formulation. This way, it could be served with steamed white rice or as a side dish for steaks or chops.
Pan Fried Green Bean 干煸豆角
Equipment
- 6 or 8 inch sauce pan
- 12 or 14 inch frying pan
Ingredients
- 12 oz green beans
- 3-4 clove garlic
- 1-2 tbsp oil (veggie or olive)
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Add 4-5 cups of water to the sauce pan. Heat it up at high heat
- Remove the tips of the beans.
- Once the water starts boiling, add the beans. Bring the water back to boil. Turn the heat to medium. Keep it uncovered and boiling for about 3 minutes
- Immediately drain the hot water, and rinse the beans with cold water until cold
- Place the frying pan on the stove top, and add the oil. Turn the heat to high
- Smash the garlic, and add it together with beans to the frying pan. Cover the pan with a lid
- Once the beans start sizzling, turn heat to low to medium. Stir every minute for about 4-5 minutes
- The beans start "wrinkling". Once "wrinkles" develop around the bean, take off the lid. Turn the heat to about medium
- Continue to stir every 30-60 seconds until "wrinkles" become very deep
- Sprinkle salt to the bean, and stir to dissolve it
- Serve as a side dish
Video
Notes
- This is the simplest version of pan fried green bean. To make it more flavorful, you could add ground pork, black bean garlic sauce, minced chili pepper, or (and) minced pickled Chinese mustard.
- Watch closely the heat and surface color of the beans. Keep the heat at the level not to char the beans.
- Freshness of the beans is important. You want to use beans that are 7-8 days before the "Best before" date.
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