String Bean Stir-fry with Pork & Zha Cai

String Bean Stir-fry with Pork and Zha Cai

5 from 17 votes

String Bean Stir-fry with Pork & Zha Cai

This string bean stir-fry is easy, delicious, and satisfying, made with pork and Chinese pickled mustard stems, or zha cai.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Main Course, Vegetables

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 239kcal

Author: Kaitlin

Ingredients

For the pork and marinade:

6 ounces ground pork
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil)
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil

For the rest of the dish:

2 tablespoons neutral oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound green beans (trimmed)
4 garlic cloves (finely chopped or minced)
2.5 ounces zha cai (preserved mustard stems; 1 package)
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
1 small scallion
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1½ teaspoons oyster sauce
¼ teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)
¼ teaspoon sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add the ground pork, cornstarch, white pepper, water, neutral oil, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well, and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Heat a wok over medium heat until lightly smoking. Add the neutral oil to the wok, along with the string beans. Toss the string beans to coat in the oil, and sprinkle with the salt. Cook for 2 minutes uncovered, and then for 7-10 minutes covered, tossing periodically with a wok spatula. They should be lightly blistered and bright green.
Transfer the beans to a dish, leaving behind as much oil as you can. Add the pork to the wok and brown until lightly golden. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute or so. Add the zha cai.
Deglaze the wok with the Shaoxing wine. Add the green beans back in along with the scallions, followed by the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), and sugar. Stir-fry to combine until everything is uniformly seasoned. Serve!

Nutrition

String Bean Stir-fry with Pork & Zha Cai by The Woks of Life. 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