Blistered and blackened, these green beans seem like they are abused. Instead, they are stir-fried with a simple yet potent combination of Chinese fermented black beans and fresh ginger.

These Chinese style green beans would make an excellent accompaniment to easy 6-ingredient Shanghai chicken, vegan mapo tofu, or served alongside a warm bowl of soupy egg and tomato.

Stringless Green Beans

Blue lake green beans on cutting board with stems chopped off

Either with your hands or a knife, you must remove the stem end green beans. This is perhaps the most tedious part and what may be keeping you from buying them fresh from the farmer’s market.

What are blue lake beans? They are a stringless varietal of beans developed in the early 1900s in the Blue Lake District near Ukiah, CA. They are prized for their tenderness and crunch.

Green beans with strings that need to be pulled off are not found so much in grocery stores anymore.

Most commercial beans now just need to have the top snipped off.

The main rival to Blue Lake beans in the market now is probably haricot vert. Those are much thinner, shorter, and slightly more delicate.

Stick to Blue Lake green beans for affordability.

How are green beans blistered?

When I’ve had this dish in Chinese restaurants, the beans are almost always deep fried.

We get a similar effect here by pan frying the green beans in a thin layer of oil.

It is best to work in batches and not stack the beans on top of each other in the pan.

Technique #1: Dry Fried Green Beans in the skillet

green beans fried in oil in a silver pan

Flashy fry the green beans in a thin layer of oil, otherwise known as the “dry fried” method. This is much easier than having to immerse the green beans in a large vat of hot oil.

This technique is often referred to as “dry-fried” as an alternative to deep-fried.

Be sure to dry the green beans well after washing. They will sizzle and pop in the pan even more if there is excess moisture on them.

Use a deep pot such as a Dutch oven, if you prefer to limit grease splattering on your stove top.

Technique #2: Roasted Green Beans in the oven

The alternative to deep frying and pan frying is roasting the beans in the oven.

This does not quite blister the skin like we would prefer but works best if you have a large batch of green beans.

Once the beans are blistered, set them aside. It is time to “blacken.”

How are green beans “blackened”?

Chinese fermented black beans and ginger chopped up on a wooden cutting board

Chinese fermented black beans are the main seasoning in this dish, along with fresh ginger. Once opened, the black beans will keep in the fridge for a few months.

“Blackened” is the Southern cooking technique of coating protein in spices and frying it in butter until it turns almost black in color.

Here the Chinese fermented black bean is used.

They are not black beans per se. They are soybeans that have been salted and fermented.

They have a chalky, creamy texture, almost like chocolate and add richness to a dish, a bit like parmesan cheese.

These black beans are used in a number of Chinese stir-frys, especially in Sichuan cooking.

Since they are heavily salted, you will only need to add additional salt to taste.

Blister & Sauté to Blacken

Chinese fermented black beans and ginger sauteed in a silver pan

Ginger and black beans are sauteed in the pan first to remove their rawness and develop flavor.

After the green beans have been blistered, it is time to blacken.

Saute minced ginger and black beans in a bit of oil.

Add the blistered green beans back to the pan to combine and just heat the beans through.

Add a touch of soy sauce for that little bit of extra umami and flavor.

It will only take a couple minutes to heat through.

A pinch of sugar is used to round out the sweetness. Add additional salt to taste if needed.

Dry Fried green beans on a long white plate with black beans and ginger on top

Though you may blister and blacken them, don’t forget to give them some love too!

Though not quite a green bean casserole, it definitely has more flavor than steamed or boiled green beans if you have the time and effort to spare.

Tips to make it better @ home

If you don’t want splattered oil all over your stovetop, roast the green beans at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until cooked through and slightly starting to wrinkle.
If you choose to fry in the skillet, work in batches so the beans get fried in the oil.
The green beans should be washed and dried, so they fry and not steam from residual water left on the beans after washing.

More easy Chinese recipes

Healthy Bell Pepper Recipe with Black Bean Sauce (Vegan)

Vegan Mapo Tofu with Caramelized Mushrooms

Easy Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry with a Secret Touch

Blackened blue lake green beans on a white plate

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