String Beans With Ground Pork Recipe

Trim and cut beans

Rinse the string beans, trim both ends, and cut into roughly 2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Mix sauce

In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, chicken stock (or water), cornstarch, and ground pepper. Stir until cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Mince aromatics

Peel and mince garlic and ginger, and thinly slice the scallion greens. If using fresh chili, thinly slice it now.

Blanch string beans (optional but recommended)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the string beans and blanch for 2 minutes until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath or run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside. (If you prefer crisper beans, skip blanching and stir-fry longer in the next step.)

Brown the pork

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook 4–6 minutes until the pork is browned and most of the moisture has evaporated. Use a slotted spoon to push browned pork to the side of the pan or remove excess fat if there is a lot. Season the pork lightly with 1/8 tsp salt while cooking.

Sauté aromatics

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Push the pork to one side (or make a well) and add the minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Combine beans and pork

Add the blanched (or raw) string beans to the pan and toss to combine with the pork and aromatics. Stir-fry together for 1–2 minutes to heat the beans through and begin to coat them with oil and juices.

Add sauce and finish

Give the sauce bowl a quick stir (cornstarch may have settled) and pour it into the pan. Stir constantly as the sauce comes to a simmer; the cornstarch will thicken into a glossy glaze in about 1 minute. Cook until the sauce clings to the beans and pork and the beans reach your desired tenderness, about 1–2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to remaining 1/8 tsp salt or more soy if needed).

Add aromatics and serve

Stir in the sliced scallion greens and a pinch of chili flakes if using. Turn off the heat and drizzle with the toasted sesame seeds or a drop more sesame oil if desired. Transfer to a serving dish.