Recipes

Pork and Pepper Stir-fry (辣椒小炒肉)

A fast, easy Chinese stir-fry with tender pork strips and blistered long hot green peppers, finished with Shaoxing wine and soy. Ready in 20 minutes.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the pork and marinade::
    • 8 ounces (227g) pork shoulder or loin, cut into thin strips
    • 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
    • 1 teaspoon (5ml) cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons (10ml) vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon (5ml) Shaoxing wine
    • 1 teaspoon (5ml) oyster sauce
    • 1 teaspoon (5ml) light soy sauce
  • For the rest of the dish::
    • 6 long hot green peppers (about 10-12oz / 280-340g)
    • 2 slices ginger
    • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, divided
    • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine
    • ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) sugar
    • ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) dark soy sauce

Notes

  • Long hot green peppers can be substituted with cubanelle peppers (milder) or anaheim peppers
  • De-seed the peppers to reduce heat, as individual peppers can vary wildly in spiciness
  • Cut pork against the grain for the most tender strips
  • Slice peppers on a diagonal for nice presentation
  • Serve over steamed rice or as a topping for noodle soup
  • Leftovers go great with pao fan (rice porridge)
  • Recipe by Sarah from The Woks of Life

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the thin strips of pork, water, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons oil, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce. Mix well and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

  2. De-seed the peppers and thinly slice them on a diagonal. Prepare your ginger and garlic.

  3. Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of oil, then add the pork. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the pork is lightly browned around the edges. Remove the pork from the wok and set aside.

  4. Over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) of oil along with the ginger, garlic, and peppers. Fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute — the peppers should begin to blister from the heat, but control the heat to avoid burning the garlic. Add the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok and stir for another 10 seconds.

  5. Add the pork back to the wok along with the sugar and dark soy sauce. Stir-fry for another few seconds over high heat, and serve immediately.