Why This Recipe Works

Cooks at Sichuan restaurants deep-fry the beans for gan bian si ji dou because it's the quickest way to remove their excess moisture and transform them from crisp and juicy to dense and meaty. After trying several alternate methods, we landed on a hybrid broil-then-steam technique, which removed almost as much moisture while freeing us up to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and a generous amount of ginger added zing and ya cai (pickled mustard green stems), plenty of garlic, and soy sauce provided loads of depth. A splash of Shaoxing wine and a small amount of sugar smoothed the edges and made the flavors more harmonious.

Want more? Read the whole story

Before You Begin

If necessary, a 12-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet can be used instead of a wok. For a spicier dish, use the larger amount of chiles. Ya cai, Sichuan preserved mustard greens, can be purchased online or at a Chinese market; it lends deep, distinctive flavor here (though we still enjoy the dish without it). Look for “suimiyacai” as one word on the label, which means the vegetable has been precut into rice grain–size pieces.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine beans and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in bowl and toss to coat. Spread on rimmed baking sheet (do not wash bowl). Broil beans until softened and charred in places, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping beans halfway through broiling. Return beans to bowl, add salt, and toss to distribute evenly. Cover with plate. Stir Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar in small bowl until sugar is dissolved, and set aside.

Combine remaining 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil, chiles, and Sichuan peppercorns in wok and cook over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork and mash and smear until pork and garlic mixture are evenly combined. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook, chopping meat into ¼-inch chunks with edge of spatula until cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Add beans and ya cai and toss to combine. Add Shaoxing wine mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until no liquid remains in wok, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve.