Pickled Beans Stir-Fried with Chicken Gizzards
酸豆角炒鸡胗 · suān dòu jiǎo chǎo jī zhēn
My uncle ran a night-market stall in Changsha’s Pozi Street—he’d slice chicken gizzards paper-thin on a bamboo block while my cousin rinsed acid beans in a blue enamel bowl. Their secret? A 10-second blanch in ginger-water before stir-frying.
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- pickled long beans (suan dou jiao)酸豆角🏮 asian100 g
- chicken gizzards鸡胗🛒 local180 g
- ginger生姜🛒 local15 g
- scallion小葱🛒 local20 g
- Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian10 ml
pickled long beans (suan dou jiao): Same as above—firm, olive-green, mildly sour.
chicken gizzards: Buy fresh or thawed frozen. Slice against grain into 2 mm strips. Ask butcher to slice if unsure.
ginger: Young ginger preferred—peel and julienne fine. Avoid dried ginger powder.
scallion: Green parts only for garnish—add at end.
Shaoxing wine: Substitute dry sherry if unavailable. Never use cooking wine with salt.
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Instructions
1Bring 500 ml water to boil with 10 g ginger (thin slices). Add gizzards; blanch 10 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.
姜水焯10秒
🔍 Look for High heat 10秒 · 10 secondsVisual: 鸡胗转为不透明象牙色，表面微收紧。Gizzards turn opaque ivory; surface tightens slightly.
You know it's right when: 边缘微微卷起——无灰白浮沫或浑浊。Edges curl just barely—no gray foam or cloudiness.
2Heat wok over high heat until smoking lightly. Add 10 ml (2 tsp) peanut oil.
锅要见烟
🔍 Look for High heat 45–60秒 · 45–60 secondsVisual: 锅心持续升起一缕细烟。Thin veil of smoke rises steadily from center of wok.
You know it's right when: 油流动如水，不粘滞。Oil flows like water—not thick or sluggish.
3Add gizzards in single layer. Let sear 30 seconds untouched, then stir-fry 1 minute until edges brown and centers remain springy.
先煎后炒
🔍 Look for High heat 共1分30秒 · 1 minute 30 seconds totalVisual: 出现金棕色焦痕；按压后迅速回弹。Golden-brown sear marks appear; gizzards spring back when pressed.
You know it's right when: 持续响亮‘滋啦’声——无蒸汽爆发。Audible sizzle remains constant—no steam burst.
4Push gizzards aside. Add remaining ginger juliennes to hot oil; stir 10 seconds until fragrant.
姜丝爆香
🔍 Look for High heat 10秒 · 10 secondsVisual: 姜丝边缘微软但未变色；油面浮着金点。Ginger softens at edges but stays pale; oil shimmers with golden flecks.
You know it's right when: 空气充满清冽姜香——无苦涩味。Sharp, clean ginger scent fills air—no bitterness.
5Add pickled beans and Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry 3 minutes on high heat until beans darken and gizzards absorb tangy aroma. Finish with scallion greens.
高火抢炒
🔍 Look for High heat 3分钟 · 3 minutesVisual: 豆角裹附鸡胗；蒸气透出明亮发酵酸香。Beans cling to gizzards; steam carries sharp, fermented brightness.
You know it's right when: 酸香穿透油味——清亮，非腐败酸臭。Acid aroma cuts through oil scent—bright, not sour-rotten.
Tips
- · Blanching gizzards is non-negotiable—it removes gamey notes and ensures even cooking.
- · Slice gizzards *against* the grain: look for parallel muscle fibers and cut perpendicular.
- · If gizzards are tough after stir-frying, they were either under-blanch or overcooked later—adjust timing.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?
Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.
Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine
Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?
Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.
Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library
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