Dry-Fried Green Beans with Minced Pork and Chilli
by Jay Rayner
Inspired by the dish served at the Four Seasons Chinese restaurant, located at 12 Gerrard Street, London (and many other places besides). I love the way the beans crinkle in the heat of the wok, and how their flavour intensifies. I love the addition of the small amount of pork, which plays the supporting role of condiment rather than main event. I have been cooking my own version at home for years. I could, I suppose, have looked up an actual recipe written by someone deep-steeped in the Chinese culinary tradition. But the truth is that I like mine. It’s straightforward and satisfying. The inclusion of minced pork should, of course, bar its inclusion in this section of non-meat dishes. But first, you’ll always find it listed amid the vegetable dishes on Chinese restaurant menus. And second, I’ve included a version using blitzed mushrooms, which is entirely vegan. My instructions for this are in the 'chef tips' below. This dish is best served with rice or a whole Cantonese duck if you happen to have one to hand.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Heat vegetable oil in the pan or wok over a medium heat, then add the spring onions, garlic, ginger, and the red chillies if using. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the spring onions have clearly wilted and softened.
Step 2
Add the minced pork to the wilted spring onions, garlic, ginger and chillies now and stir to break up any clumps. Gently brown the pork thoroughly for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s dry and almost crumbly.
Step 3
If you're making this recipe with ground mushrooms rather than minced pork (see tips), add these back into the pan now. Add the soy and the hoi sin and mix everything around until it’s fully coated. Keep cooking and moving it around in the wok until dry and a little crusty.
Step 4
All of this can be done in advance. You can stop now if you like until you’re ready to finish the dish.
Step 5
When it’s time to do so, put the wok over a high heat, and when everything is sizzling add the green beans. Give them time against the surface of the wok. Toss with the other ingredients.
Step 6
After a couple of minutes put a lid over the pan and turn the heat down to medium.
Step 7
If you like your beans crunchy, 5 minutes will do it. If you want them softer, leave them to cook for longer. When you’re happy with the texture, take the lid of and stir-fry on high for a couple more minutes. You can add an extra splash of soy at this point if you think it needs a little extra seasoning.
Step 8
Serve with rice. Or a whole Cantonese roast duck if you happen to have one to hand.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
150g Minced Pork 1x Sainsbury's British Pork Mince 5% Fat 500g -
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 1x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L -
4 Spring Onions, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Spring Onions Bunch 100g -
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
1.5 Ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Ginger 100g -
1 tbsp Light Soy 1x Sainsbury's Light Soy Sauce 150ml -
1 heaped tbsp Hoisin Sauce 1x Sainsbury's Hoisin Sauce 150ml -
1 Red Chilli, finely chopped, according to taste 1x Sainsbury's Finger Chillies 80g -
400g Green Beans, topped and tailed, and cut in half 3x Sainsbury's Fine Green Beans 200g