Fermented Long Beans with Minced Pork (Suān dòujiǎo chǎo ròumò / 酸豆角炒肉末)

by Chloe Wang

Tangy fermented long beans, savory minced pork, gentle spice, and bright aromatics. A true 下饭菜(xiàfàn cài) “rice-killer” dish that turns a simple bowl of rice into a full delicious meal.

Yield: 3–4
Active: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Heat: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Diet: DF

The Significance of the Dish

This dish is built around the lively sourness of fermented long beans. The acidity wakes up the palate, the pork adds richness, and the aromatics tie everything together. It is a comfort dish across many regions of China and a staple in Sichuan homes. The flavor is bold but balanced, and every bite pulls you back to your rice bowl.

Ingredient Guidance

• Fermented long beans: choose beans that smell pleasantly sour and clean. If too salty, rinse or give a quick-soak.
• Pork: minced pork belly or shoulder gives better fat distribution; lean pork works but is less silky.
• Chilies: red pickled chilies add aroma and mild heat; dried chilies add sharper heat.
• Aromatics: garlic, ginger, and pickled ginger deepen flavor; celery adds crunch and freshness.
• Soy sauce: light soy for salt and savouriness; a small amount of dark soy for color.
• Vinegar: a splash sharpens the dish and balances the salt.
• Sugar: a pinch rounds off acidity and bitterness.
• Optional boosters: white pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, oyster sauce

Mise en place

• Chop long beans into 2–3 mm pieces.
• Mince garlic, ginger, and pickled ginger.
• Chop celery and red pickled chilies.
• Prepare minced pork.
• Measure soy sauces, sugar, vinegar, and seasonings.

Ingredients

Fermented beans

• 300 g fermented long beans, chopped
• Water for quick rinsing or soaking (if required)

Pork and aromatics

• 200–250 g minced pork belly or shoulder
• 12 g garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• 1–2 red pickled chilies, chopped
• 2–4 dried chilies (optional)
• A pinch of white pepper or crushed Sichuan peppercorn

Seasonings

• 15 mL light soy (1 Tbsp)
• 5 mL dark soy (1 tsp)
• 3–5 g sugar (½–1 tsp)
• Salt only if needed
• 20–25 mL neutral oil (1½–2 Tbsp)

Method

Prepare the beans — If very salty or sharp, rinse or soak briefly, then drain well. Chop long beans into 2–3 mm pieces, if the beans are too wet, toast them on the non-stick pan to let the moisture evaporate for a bit, 2min tops

Render the pork — Heat wok/pan high, add oil, then add pork. Stir-fry until it browns and releases fat.

Season — Add light soy, dark soy, sugar and oyster sauce if you prefer. Stir to combine.

Add the beans and aromatics — Raise heat to high. Add chopped long beans, minced garlic, ginger and chopped fresh red chilis. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes until you smell a combined aroma of all the ingredients.

Finish — Final taste and seasoning with salt and white pepper. Sauce should cling lightly without pooling. Add starch water if thickening is desired. Eat it with rice or noodles as you desire.

Pro tip

Fermented long beans vary widely in saltiness. Always taste before seasoning. If the dish becomes too salty, add extra celery or a splash of vinegar to balance.

Finish and Serve

Serve immediately with steamed rice. The sourness of the beans and the richness of the pork make this a perfect down-home dish and a classic 下饭菜 (xiàfàn cài).

Why This Works

Fermentation produces acidity and umami that cut through the richness of the pork. Stir-frying keeps the beans crisp, the pork savory, and the aromatics bright. A touch of soy and vinegar ties everything into a balanced, lively dish.

Variations

• Thickened Topping: If you want to thicken the stir fry and make it as a topping for noodles, you can add some corn starch water as the final step, use water to starch ratio of 2:1 for light thickening
• Spicy: add more dried chilies or a spoon of chili oil.
• Mild: reduce chilies and increase celery.
• Vegetarian: replace pork with diced mushrooms or firm tofu.
• Numbing: add a small pinch of Sichuan peppercorn at the end.

Pairings

• Rice: steamed jasmine or medium-grain rice.
• Tea: strong green tea or lightly roasted oolong.
• Drink: crisp lager or a light-aroma baijiu.

Make-ahead and Storage

Cool fully before storing. Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Re-heat in a hot wok/pan for best flavor. Add fresh celery during reheating to restore crunch.

Sourcing

Check out our previous recipe on making your own Sichuan pickles. If you opt for store-bought product, look for high-quality fermented long beans with a bright, natural aroma.

Glossary

• 酸豆角 | suān dòujiǎo — fermented long beans
• 下饭菜 | xiàfàn cài — rice-boosting dish