I love to eat, but when it’s hot and humid, I just want to make something quick and easy. Of course, that something quick and easy must also taste good. You know us––we’ll never settle when it comes to taste. This Chinese green bean and pork stir-fry meets that requirement and more.
What Sets This Green Bean Recipe Apart
Honestly, the basic version of this dish can be pretty ho-hum: you cook the meat, add in the green beans, add the standard stir fry sauce, cover, and cook until the green beans are cooked through. It’s not bad, but I find that I usually crave something a little bit more interesting. In my recipe, I made a few adjustments (dare I say improvements?) based on the traditional cooking method.
I added ginger to the ground meat as part of the marinade. Finely minced ginger really helps to intensify the flavor, and tastes a bit like the filling you’d find in wontons or meat buns. I added dark soy sauce to the ground meat as well. I think this gives it better color. I pre-cook the green beans using a wok searing method. It eliminates the “squeaky” texture green beans can have, and also elevates the earthy flavor! This is not meant to be a saucy dish—adding a couple tablespoons of water at the end while cooking with high heat is just enough to keep the dish moist. The result is a drier dish, but I think the slightly charred flavor that results is better than sauce in this case!
This stir-fry may seem simple, but it’s truly delicious! Sarah and I ate everything you see in these pictures in one sitting.
I’m sure the pictures can speak for themselves! Let’s cook!
Stir-fried Chinese Green Beans with Pork: Recipe Instructions
Combine the ground meat with all the marinade ingredients. Stir until any standing liquid has been absorbed by the meat. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the chopped green beans.
Stir and spread the beans into a single layer.
Cook for 30 seconds. Then stir and repeat the spreading step several times until the green beans are slightly charred, wilted, and cooked through. Turn the heat lower if needed to avoid burning. It takes about 5-8 minutes to cook the green beans this way. (To speed up the cooking, add a few drops of water each you stir, to create some steam.)
Transfer the cooked green beans to a dish and set aside.
Now add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok, with the heat turned up to high. Add the ground meat and brown it. Don’t stir too much; give the meat a chance to brown and crisp. Once the meat has browned, reduce the heat to medium.
Next, add the garlic, chilies (if using), and red bell pepper.
Stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add in the cooked green beans, ¼ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, a pinch of salt (to taste), and 2 tablespoons water.
With the heat all the way up on high, stir-fry for a final 10-15 seconds and serve.
