Sichuan Stir-Fry Bowl for Two
By Sam BlockPublished on August 2, 2025
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If you don't have a spice grinder, you can grind the Sichuan peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Our Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice is great in this recipe, but you can use any brown rice you have on-hand.
Instructions
- Process 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns in spice grinder until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Whisk ground peppercorns, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise, and cook, stirring frequently, until green beans are shriveled and blackened in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add 4 ounces ground pork and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon until no pink remains, about 2 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk sauce to recombine then add to skillet along with 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 15 seconds.
- Divide 2 cups cooked brown rice among individual serving bowls then top with green bean mixture and sprinkle with ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves; 4 ounces mandarin oranges in juice, drained; and 2 tablespoons chopped roasted cashews. Serve.
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 2Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
This Chinese-style bowl flips the meat and vegetable equation. Instead of starting with meat, we started with Sichuan green beans, a classic Chinese side dish, which we bulked up with hearty brown rice, then added just a little ground pork for protein and flavor. Sichuan peppercorns provided spicy heat, but they also brought something else, awakening the senses with a playful lip- and tongue-numbing effect. For a peppercorn sauce that would cling to every bean, we added a little cornstarch to our mixture. We let the beans char in the skillet and develop a deep caramelized flavor. Sliced water chestnuts upped the crunch factor, and just 4 ounces of ground pork added meatiness.
Before You Begin
If you don't have a spice grinder, you can grind the Sichuan peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Our Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice is great in this recipe, but you can use any brown rice you have on-hand.
Instructions
- Process 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns in spice grinder until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Whisk ground peppercorns, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise, and cook, stirring frequently, until green beans are shriveled and blackened in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add 4 ounces ground pork and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon until no pink remains, about 2 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk sauce to recombine then add to skillet along with 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 15 seconds.
- Divide 2 cups cooked brown rice among individual serving bowls then top with green bean mixture and sprinkle with ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves; 4 ounces mandarin oranges in juice, drained; and 2 tablespoons chopped roasted cashews. Serve.
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