Szechuan Green Beans Recipe

Trim and blanch

Trim the ends from the green beans and rinse. Bring a large pot of salted water (use the 0.5 tsp salt) to a boil. Blanch the green beans for 2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together light soy, dark soy, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sugar, chili bean paste, water (or broth), and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare aromatics: Thinly slice the garlic, finely mince the ginger, break the dried chiles into 1–2 inch pieces, and slice the green parts of the scallions. Measure out Sichuan peppercorns and other ingredients so they are ready to go.

Infuse oil

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the whole Sichuan peppercorns and broken dried chiles. Fry for 30–45 seconds, stirring, until fragrant and the peppercorns darken slightly (be careful not to burn the chiles). Remove and discard the peppercorns if you prefer less numbing intensity, or leave them in for presentation.

Sear green beans

Increase heat to high. Add the drained green beans to the hot infused oil in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches). Let them sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to blister and char in spots, then toss and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes until they have blistered and are tender-crisp.

Add aromatics

Push the green beans to one side of the pan. Add a touch more oil if the pan is dry (about 1 tsp). Add the sliced garlic and minced ginger and stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the broken dried chiles back in if removed earlier, and the white parts of the scallions if using (reserve greens for garnish).

Combine with sauce

Give the prepared sauce a quick stir (cornstarch may settle) and pour it into the pan. Stir constantly to coat the beans. Cook for 1–2 minutes more until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy and clings to the beans. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of salt if needed.

Finish

Turn off the heat and drizzle the sesame oil over the beans. Toss in the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds (and optional crushed peanuts). Transfer to a serving plate.

Serve hot or warm as a side dish with steamed rice. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days; reheat briefly in a hot pan to revive blistering.