Chinese sauteed green beans with ground beef is a fast weeknight meal to be served with a large bowl of steaming rice. The green beans are cooked with onion, garlic, and ginger, and then stir-fried with an amazing spicy sauce and ground beef. This recipe is the quick and easy version of the aromatic stir-fry green bean dish you'll find in Sichuan restaurants.
Wash and trim green beans. Chop into 2-3 inch length. Pat dry with a paper towel, this step is important! If there's too much moisture left on the green beans, they won't char properly.
Make the sauce by mixing dark soy sauce, chili garlic paste, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set aside for later.
Heat neutral oil in a hot pan until smoking. Add beans and avoid overcrowding. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir beans around, and let sit for 30 seconds. Stir a 2nd time, and let sit for 30 seconds. This helps to ensure that the beans are evenly charred. Place beans in a separate bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, turn the heat to medium, and cook down the garlic, ginger, and onion until the onions have started to brown. This can take 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add in the ground beef (or pork or turkey) and break down the meat until browned. If there's a lot of excess fat, drain the pan.
Add in the sauce mixture and sugar, stir-fry for 30 seconds. Finally, add in the green beans and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.