PICKLED LONG BEANS WITH PORK CHINESE STYLE
The pickle-loving and pickle-hating crowds divide into two camps. These long pickled beans stir fry is for those who adore the sour, vinegary bite that comes with a well-prepared pickled veggie. Our apologies to those who aren’t fans of pickles; we’ll have something new for you in a few days.
One of our all-time favorite Hunan dishes!
Our favorite Hunan eatery puts up a stir-fried meal called Pickled Long Beans with Pork. The wok’s scorching heat transforms the vinegary pickled long beans’ flavor into a smokey pickled delicacy, with a perfect level of tongue-burning chili flavor. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Using the word “beloved,” I’m not exaggerating. Everything about this Hunan eatery seems fantastic. It’s tucked away in the middle of New Jersey suburbia, and a Chinese family lives above the restaurant, cultivating their herbs and vegetables in old wooden boxes in the parking lot and pickling their salted chiles (AKA dual jiao) and long beans in ancient wooden barrels (AKA snake beans).
When you step inside, you’re ushered into a world of plastic-covered tables, brightly lit photographs of every dish, and Chinglish typos galore, but no Sesame Chicken.
These talented chefs prepare culinary delights such as Duo jiao yu (Hunan Steamed Fish with Salted Chilies and Tofu) and Cumin Lamb. The neighborhood is home to a hidden gem as if it weren’t obvious enough.
The actual location is a mystery to us because it is one of our favorite parts of town in a state rife with bizarre but delectable culinary jewels hidden in plazas and shopping centers. So, don’t bother asking us where it is. There’s a way for you to make this dish yourself, though.
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 oz. of ground pork
- 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil (divided)
- 2 tsp. of cornstarch
- 1 tsp. of soy sauce
- 1 tsp. of Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp. of minced ginger
- 5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- 1 tbsp. of spicy bean paste (dou ban Jiang)
- 1 small green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper (diced)
- 3 to 10 pcs. of bird’s eye chilies (thinly sliced)
- 1 package of Chinese pickled long beans (chopped into ¼” pieces)
- 1 tsp. of sugar
- 1/8 tsp. of white pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- The first step is to marinate the meat. 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce are all needed to make this dish. While you gather the rest of the ingredients, place them aside.
- Heat the final 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat in a wok or cast-iron skillet. Pork should be cooked thoroughly and slightly crisped before being added to the pan with the other ingredients. Infuse the oil with the ginger for a further one minute after adding it. Next, add the garlic and heat for a few more seconds, just long enough for the garlic to color a bit. Stir in the spicy bean paste and mix thoroughly.
- Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until the bell peppers begin to soften. Adding the chilies, long beans, sugar, and white pepper to the pan and cooking for a few minutes will ensure that the long beans are thoroughly heated. Add the chilies and ginger to the oil at the beginning if you want a more pronounced flavor.
- Make a big pot of white rice to go with it!