Hunan Smoked Pork with Dried Vegetables
腊肉炒干豆角
Smoky cured pork stir-fried with chewy dried green beans — Hunan's soul food. The smoky, salty, chewy combination is addictive.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Hunan Smoked Pork with Dried Vegetables?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Hunan Smoked Pork with Dried Vegetables (腊肉炒干豆角) is a beloved Hunan winter dish. Smoked pork (腊肉, là ròu) is a Hunan specialty — pork cured with salt and spices, then smoked over wood for days until deeply flavored. Paired with dried green beans (干豆角) that have a satisfying chewy texture, the combination is smoky, salty, and intensely savory. This is the kind of dish Hunan families make for Lunar New Year — a taste of home that every Hunan expat craves.
Ingredients You'll Need
The Dish
- 250g Hunan smoked pork (腊肉), sliced thin
- 100g dried green beans (干豆角), soaked and cut
- 4 dried red chilies
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger, sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
📝 Instructions
Soak and prep
Soak the dried green beans in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable. Drain. Blanch the smoked pork in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove excess salt and soften — this also cleans it.
Render the smoked pork
Heat a dry wok. Add the smoked pork slices and cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the meat is slightly crispy (3-4 minutes). The smoky aroma will fill your kitchen. Remove and set aside.
Cook the vegetables
Add oil to the wok. Add the dried chilies, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the soaked green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes until they absorb the flavors.
Combine
Return the smoked pork to the wok. Add soy sauce and sugar. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. The green beans should be chewy and coated in the smoky pork fat. Serve with steamed rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡Blanch the smoked pork first — it's very salty and smoky. Blanching balances the salt and softens the meat.
- 💡Dried green beans (干豆角) have a unique chewy texture — fresh beans won't work. Find them at Asian markets or dry your own.
- 💡The smoked pork IS the seasoning — its saltiness flavors the whole dish. Go easy on additional salt.
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get Hunan smoked pork? Asian grocery stores sell it vacuum-sealed. Look for 'Chinese bacon' or 腊肉. You can also find it online.
Can I use regular bacon? It won't be the same — Hunan smoked pork has a distinctive smoky-sweet flavor from the curing and smoking process. Regular bacon is too salty and not smoky enough.
