Perfect Pork and Bean Sprout Stir Fry Recipe (豆芽炒猪肉)
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Pork and bean sprouts stir fry is a beloved classic in Chinese households; this dish requires simple ingredients and easy cooking methods but provides a well-balanced flavor.
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Ingredients
- 300g / 10.6oz of pork loin, thinly julienned
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp of five-spice powder
- 1 tsp of dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tbsp of cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp of lard or vegetable oil for stir-frying
- 170g / 6oz of bean sprouts
- 30g / 1 oz of garlic chives or scallions, cut into stalks
- 1/3 of bell pepper, thinly julienned
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tsp of cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil
Directions
- Remove the silver skin from the pork loin, as it is not good for stir-frying. Julienne the pork into 1/8 of an inch thick strips. Please partially freeze the meat for 1 hour ahead so you can slice and julienne the pork thinly. You can change to beef or chicken if you want.
- Marinade the pork with salt, five-spice powder, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, cornstarch, and egg white. Mix until everything is well combined. Then continue to message the meat for 5 minutes. Using cornstarch and egg white in the marinade and then massaging it is a technique called velveting or "上浆" in Chinese. It creates a starchy layer, which wraps around the meat and protects the muscles from seizing up while cooking. This is why the stir fry meat in Chinese take-out restaurant are always so juicy and tender.
- Add a big drizzle of oil to the meat and give it a rough mix. The oil prevents the pork strips from tangling, making it easier to stir fry later. Set it aside.
- Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Mix well and set it aside.
- Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until smoking hot.
- Add pork lard and the pork. Stir over high heat for a couple of minutes or until the meat changes color.
- Remove the pork from the wok and set it aside.
- Turn the heat high and toss the bean sprouts, garlic, red bell pepper, and garlic chives into the wok. Stir over high heat for a minute. Please don't overcook; otherwise, the bean sprouts will release liquid and lose the crunchy texture.
- Introduce the pork back to the wok and pour in the seasoning. Keep mixing until well combined. Check the bottom of the dish; it should have no running sauce. That is how you know the bean sprouts are perfectly cooked.
- Serve with white rice.
