Braised Noodles with Green Beans

Ingredients

• About 1 pound of green beans (too many won’t taste good)
• Scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns
• Half a tomato (for seasoning)
• About 1 pound of pork belly or rump (any pork cut will work)
• 2 grams of salt
• Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and cooking wine
• Noodles for two servings (thin ones are better; too many won’t cook evenly—I usually buy 3 yuan’s worth)

Preparation

For the green beans, snap off the tips and pull down to remove the strings:

Then break the green beans into 4–5 cm pieces by hand, rinse them with water, and set aside:

Cut the pork belly into chunks, finely chop the scallions, slice the ginger, and cut the tomato into slices:

With that, the prep work is done.

Cooking Steps

Rinse the wok with water and dry it:

Heat the wok over high heat until no water remains. Add an appropriate amount of oil—enough to lightly coat the bottom:

Add the scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry to release their aroma, then add the pork.

Note: When you first add the pork, it will stick to the wok. Don’t stir immediately—wait a few seconds before flipping, and it will release easily (a pro tip):

At this point, the heat might be too high, and the scallions/ginger may brown too quickly. Add a splash of cooking wine to deglaze and remove any gaminess—killing two birds with one stone:

Stir-fry evenly until the pork turns white, then add light soy sauce for flavor:

After stir-frying for about 30 seconds, add the tomato to enhance freshness:

Stir-fry evenly for another 30 seconds, then add half a teaspoon of salt (about 1 gram):

Continue stir-frying until the tomato softens and its skin separates, then add the green beans:

Stir-fry until the beans are coated with the flavors in the wok, then add dark soy sauce for color:

Now add another half teaspoon of salt (about 1 gram):

Stir-fry evenly, then add water until it just covers the ingredients:

Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes:

While waiting, wipe down the stovetop:

After about 20 minutes, check if the ingredients are cooked. Taste for seasoning, then ensure the water level is just below the ingredients (not too little, nor covering them):

Add the noodles, spreading them evenly. Avoid letting the noodles touch the wok directly, as the high heat and lack of water may cause burning:

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes:

During this time, stay nearby and monitor the water level (if unsure about evaporation rates). Don’t let it dry out—leave just enough to lightly moisten the noodles. Finally, mix the noodles and ingredients evenly, and it’s ready to serve.

Final Presentation

Key Points

1. The tomato is a must—it’s the secret ingredient.
2. The final water level is crucial: too much will make the noodles salty, too little will dry them out.

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