Chinese Buffet Green Bean Recipe: Crunchy and Spicy
Every time I go to a Chinese buffet, I make some room on the plate for these green beans. They have a crisp texture that you can feel with every bite. And these spicy green beans are the perfect side dish with almost any main dish. Want to make these green beans at home?
Here is the Chinese buffet green bean recipe for you. The main ingredients of this dish are green beans and dried red chilies. Follow this recipe till the end to get all the steps and secret tips.
Table of Contents
Chinese Buffet Green Bean Recipe Overview
You will get all the key information about the recipe, such as the preparation time, cooking time, serving size, etc., in the following chart.
| Course: Side dish | Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Easy | ||
| Total Time: 15 minutes | ||||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories | |
| 2 persons | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 55 kcal | |
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Organize the ingredients below to make this recipe.
- Green Bean: 250g of green beans
- Red Chili: 50g of dried red chilies
- Garlic: 3-4 cloves of garlic
- Scallion: 2 stalks
- Oil: 2-3 tbsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Light Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
Chinese Buffet Green Bean Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Preparing green beans requires a special technique. Let me show you the technique as well as the steps for cooking it.
Step 1: Cut and Clean the Green Beans
Break both ends of the green beans and carefully pull the ends to remove the string. This string makes green beans hard to eat. After removing the string, cut each bean into two pieces. Then, wash the beans thoroughly.
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Step 2: Prepare the Spices
Take 50g of dried red chilies and cut them into small segments. Then, peel the garlic cloves and pat them with the side of the cleaver. Cut the scallions into sections.
Step 3: Fry the Green Beans
Put oil in a wok and heat it. Add green beans to hot oil and stir-fry them for a few minutes. Once the green beans have some burnt marks on the surface, add the chopped chilies and smashed garlic cloves.
Step 4: Season the Beans
Sprinkle some salt over the beans and mix well. Then, add about 1 tbsp of light soy sauce and the scallions to the wok. Stir-fry everything for about 5 more minutes. Crispy and spicy buffet green beans are now ready to enjoy.
Nutrition Facts of the Recipe
With only 55 calories in each serving, this green bean recipe is one of the healthiest I have ever shared. Check the nutritional value of the recipe below.
- Total Carbohydrates: 8g
- Protein: 2g
- Total Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Total Sugar: 3g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
- Sodium: 141mg
- Potassium: 167mg
- Calcium: 31mg
- Iron: 1mg
- Vitamin A: 125IU
- Vitamin C: 13mg
Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe
These tips can help you make green beans better.
Do’s
- If removing the string from the sides seems difficult, you can scrape the sides off with a sharp knife. It will make green beans easier to eat and digest.
- Fry the green beans without covering them. It will help you preserve the bright green color of the beans.
Don’ts
- Don’t cook green beans for too long. If you cook these beans for more than 10 minutes, they will lose their crispiness.
- Don’t add any extra sugar to the beans while frying. The beans already have a slightly sweet taste that will be balanced by the spices.
Chinese Buffet Green Bean Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Break both ends of the green beans and carefully pull the ends to remove the string. This string makes green beans hard to eat. After removing the string, cut each bean into two pieces. Then, wash the beans thoroughly.
- Take 50g of dried red chilies and cut them into small segments. Then, peel the garlic cloves and pat them with the side of the cleaver. Cut the scallions into sections.
- Put oil in a wok and heat it. Add green beans to hot oil and stir-fry them for a few minutes. Once the green beans have some burnt marks on the surface, add the chopped chilies and smashed garlic cloves.
- Sprinkle some salt over the beans and mix well. Then, add about 1 tbsp of light soy sauce and the scallions to the wok. Stir-fry everything for about 5 more minutes. Crispy and spicy buffet green beans are now ready to enjoy.
FAQs
I answered some common questions people ask about this green bean recipe. Check them out.
How can I achieve the perfect crispiness in Chinese buffet green beans?
You can blanch the green beans for one or two minutes before frying them. After blanching them, put them in ice-cold water to make them perfectly crispy after frying.
Are there any variations of this green bean recipe?
Of course. You can make these green beans with minced garlic as well. If you use minced garlic, the flavor will be more evenly distributed. Also, you can use minced beef, pork, or chicken to make the dish rich in protein and enhance its flavor.
How should I store Chinese buffet green beans?
Chinese buffet green beans are best enjoyed fresh. Put the green beans in an airtight box first and then store the box in the fridge. Before serving them again, reheat them for a few minutes.
Does the size of the green beans impact the flavor of this recipe?
The size of the green beans doesn’t impact the flavor of the dish much. Ideally, the green beans should be about 4-5 inches long for this recipe. Smaller pieces of green beans will also have the same flavor.
Conclusion
Green beans are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Many people turn them mushy by overcooking the beans or blanching them for too long. In this Chinse buffet green bean recipe, I showed how to achieve the perfect crispiness of green beans.
You can make perfect green beans with a bright green color by following this recipe. This recipe will give you a similar taste to the beans you enjoy in Chinese buffets. Make green beans this way and surprise your family with the exotic flavor.
