
Pickled Beans Stir-Fried with Pork Minced
酸豆角炒肉末 · suān dòu jiǎo chǎo ròu mò
My aunt in Changsha kept a crock of sour beans fermenting under her kitchen window for over 40 years—she’d pull out a handful every Tuesday to stir-fry with leftover pork trimmings and scallions from the local market. I still use her ratio: 3:1 beans to meat, never more.
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🏮 asian120 g
- pork belly mince猪五花肉末🛒 local150 g
- garlic大蒜🛒 local3 cloves (15 g)
- scallion小葱🛒 local30 g
- light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian10 ml
pickled long beans (suan dou jiao): Look for firm, olive-green beans with mild sour aroma; avoid mushy or overly salty batches. Rinse briefly if very salty.
pork belly mince: Use 30% fat content for best texture. Ground pork shoulder works if belly unavailable.
garlic: Fresh, pungent cloves only—avoid pre-minced jarred garlic.
scallion: Use both white and green parts. Slice just before cooking.
light soy sauce: Adds salt and umami without darkening color.
🌶️ Adjust to your taste
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Instructions
1Rinse pickled beans under cold water for 10 seconds, then squeeze gently to remove excess moisture. Chop into 1 cm pieces.
攥干再切
🔍 Look for 10秒 · 10 secondsVisual: 豆角微潮但不滴水,手感仍具弹性。Beans look damp but not dripping; texture remains springy.
You know it's right when: 砧板上无积水。No pooling water on cutting board.
2Heat wok over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates instantly. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil.
锅要烧热
🔍 Look for Medium-high 30–45秒 · 30–45 secondsVisual: 油面微泛涟漪,有细缕青烟升起。Oil shimmers faintly with thin wisps of smoke rising.
You know it's right when: 水珠弹跳并1秒内汽化。Water droplet dances and vanishes in <1 second.
3Add pork mince and stir-fry until no pink remains and edges begin to crisp, ~2 minutes. Break up clumps with spatula.
炒至断生微焦
🔍 Look for Medium-high 2分钟 · 2 minutesVisual: 肉色转为不透明灰褐色,边缘出现细小金点。Meat turns opaque gray-brown; tiny golden flecks appear at edges.
You know it's right when: 无生腥气;按压易碎。No raw odor; meat crumbles easily when pressed.
4Push meat to side. Add garlic and white parts of scallion to hot oil; stir 15 seconds until fragrant.
先爆香葱蒜
🔍 Look for Medium-high 15秒 · 15 secondsVisual: 蒜末呈浅金色;油面蒸腾出辛香热气。Garlic turns pale gold; oil glistens with aromatic steam.
You know it's right when: 香气骤然升腾,尚未上色。Aroma rises sharply—no browning yet.
5Add pickled beans. Stir-fry 3 minutes until beans darken slightly and release tangy aroma. Drizzle light soy sauce evenly over surface.
猛火炒香
🔍 Look for High heat 3分钟 · 3 minutesVisual: 豆角转为深橄榄褐;蒸气中透出清爽酸香。Beans deepen to olive-brown; steam carries sharp, clean sourness.
You know it's right when: 酸香明显增强——非馊味,而是清亮爽利之气。Sour smell intensifies—not fermented off-note, but bright and clean.
Tips
- · Rinse beans *only* if your brand is very salty—most Chinese brands are balanced for stir-frying.
- · For deeper flavor, toast ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns in dry wok 30 sec before step 2, then remove before oil.
- · Serve immediately—the beans soften fast if held.
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
Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?
Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.
Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine
What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.
Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide
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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