THE EVERYTHING® STIR-FRY COOKBOOK
Page 16
Easy Herbed French Pork Chops
Serve with Stir-Fried Cauliflower (page 260) or Double Nutty Fiddlehead Greens with Sesame (page 257) for a complete meal.
Cut the pork into bite-sized cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar, dried rosemary, garlic salt, and the black pepper. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Let brown for a minute, then stir-fry the pork, moving it around the pan for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is thoroughly cooked through. Splash the pork chops with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar during stir-frying. Serve hot.
Easy Teriyaki Marinated Pork Chops
Teriyaki marinade works well in pork dishes. To increase the flavor, marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
Cut the pork chops into cubes. Place the pork in a bowl and add the marinade. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry until it is aromatic, then add the pork. Let brown for a minute, then stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Splash the pork with the rice wine and stir in the green onions. Continue stir-frying for another minute or until the pork is cooked through.
Orange Pork Chops
Sake is the Japanese version of rice wine. If both Chinese rice wine and Japanese sake are unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in the marinade.
Cut the pork chops into cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or sake, and cornstarch. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Let it brown for a minute, then stir-fry, stirring and moving the pork around the pan until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through. Remove the pork and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring in the salt.
Add the Orange Sauce and bring to a boil. Add the pork back into the pan. Stir in the chopped green onions. Stir-fry until everything is mixed together and the pork is cooked through. Serve hot.
Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or Japanese sake
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced ginger
4 carrots, cut on the diagonal into thin slices
1 teaspoon salt
Orange Sauce (page 17)
2 green onions, green parts only, finely chopped
Serves4 to 6
1½ pounds boneless pork
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons chopped green chili peppers
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
¼ teaspoon salt, optional
1 cup black beans
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
Skillet Chili Pork
Black beans are frequently featured in Mexican cooking. You shouldn't have any trouble finding black beans for this recipe — they are available at most local supermarkets.
Cut the pork into cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add the salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry until aromatic, and add the pork. Let sit for a minute, then stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped chili peppers. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the minced garlic. Add the onion and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until it is softened. Add the diced green pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, adding salt if desired.
Stir in the black beans and diced tomatoes. Stir in the cumin. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cooked pork. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 more minutes, until everything is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot.
Crying Onion Cure The next time you're peeling and chopping onions, try biting on the end of an unlit wooden match. The tip of the match is dipped in sulfur, which absorbs and neutralizes the sulfuric acid that escapes from the chopped onion before it reaches your nose.
Spicy Orange Pork Chops
Adjust the spiciness of this dish according to your own preference by using hotter or milder chili peppers. Serve Spicy Orange Pork Chops with Stir-Fried Bok Choy (page 264) and cooked rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Chop the pork into bite-sized pieces. Place the pork in a bowl and add the Orange Marinade (page 21). Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Let it brown for a minute, then stir-fry, stirring and moving the pork around the pan until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through.
Push the pork to the sides of the wok and tilt the wok so that the remaining oil runs to the middle. Add the minced ginger and chopped chilies into the oil. Let cook for about 30 seconds, then mix with the pork. Stir in the sugar and green onions. Continue stir-frying until the pork is cooked through; remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.
Serves 4
1 pound boneless pork chops
Orange Marinade (page 21)
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 red chili peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 green onions, green parts only, cut into thirds
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Serves 4
¾ pound boneless pork
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon chile sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 green onions, chopped
Asian Chili Pork
Chili sauce is available in Asian markets and can frequently be found in the international section of local supermarkets. For extra heat, replace the chili sauce with fresh or dried red chili peppers.
Cut the pork into small cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add the light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry, the sesame oil, and the cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Roast the cashews in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously so that the nuts do not burn. Roast until the cashews are browned (about 5 minutes) and remove the cashews from the pan to cool.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Let it brown for a minute, then stir-fry, stirring and moving the pork around the pan until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through.
Push the pork to the sides of the wok or skillet and add the ginger and chile sauce in the middle. (Add more oil if needed.) Stir for about 30 seconds, then combine with the pork. Stir in 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry, dark s
oy sauce, and water. Stir in the sugar and green onions. Add the roasted cashews and continue stir-frying until the pork is cooked through.
Preparing Pork for Stir-Frying Like other types of meat and poultry, pork is easiest to cut if it's partially frozen. Either place the pork in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm it up, or start cutting the pork before it's completely thawed.
Easy Pork and Paprika Stir-Fry
To make this simple stir-fry even easier, feel free to use a stir-fry vegetable mix from the produce section of the supermarket.
Cut the pork into 1½- to 2-inch cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and toss with the salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Let the pork stand for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Let sit briefly, then stir-fry the pork, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink and it is nearly cooked through. Remove the meat and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the remaining garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the onion. Sprinkle the paprika over the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.
Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the red bell pepper and the snow peas. Stir-fry for another minute or until the mushrooms have darkened and the snow peas and red bell pepper are tender but still crisp. Splash the vegetables with a bit of the beef broth if they begin to dry out during stir-frying.
Add the beef broth into the pan and bring to a boil. Add the pork back into the pan, stirring to mix it with the other ingredients. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and the sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to mix everything together. Serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6
1 pound lean pork
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin 1½-inch strips
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
½ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Serves 4
1 pound boneless pork
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
5 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 ounces snow peas, trimmed
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup canned water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Sesame Pork
If you have trouble finding the snow peas called for in this recipe, you may replace them with sugar snap peas or 1 green bell pepper.
Cut the boneless pork into cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add the soy sauce, dry sherry, sesame oil, minced ginger, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Combine the chicken broth and oyster sauce in a small bowl. Whisk in 3 teaspoons cornstarch.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds and add the snow peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring in the salt. Add the red bell pepper and the canned water chestnuts. Stir-fry for another minute, then remove the vegetables.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the same wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the marinated pork. Let sit briefly, then stir-fry until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Push the pork to the sides of the pan.
Add the sauce into the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, add the stir-fried vegetables back into the pan. Stir-fry for another couple of minutes to heat everything through. Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Open Sesame! If you're familiar with only white sesame seeds, you might be surprised to learn that there are also yellow, beige, and black sesame seeds. All come from different varieties of the sesame plant. According to food historians, the expression “Open Sesame” may come from when the pods of the sesame plant burst open, spilling out the ripened sesame seeds.
Pineapple Pork
To lend extra color to this dish, use 1 red and 1 green bell pepper. Stir-fry the green bell pepper for a few seconds before adding the red bell pepper to the wok or skillet.
Cut the pork into thin strips 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the pork in a bowl and add the oyster sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, and cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Combine the chicken broth, dark soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Let brown for a minute, then stir-fry the pork, moving it around the pan until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and the green onions. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the bell peppers. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the peppers are tender but still crisp. Stir in the pineapple chunks.
Pour the sauce over the vegetables and heat to boiling. Add the pork back into the pan. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to heat everything through. Remove from the heat and stir in the Asian sesame oil. Serve hot.
Serves 3 to 4
¾ pound lean pork
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 green onions, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces
2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Serves 2
½ pound lean boneless pork
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
¼ cup reserved lychee juice
1½ tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ cup canned lychees
Romantic Pork with Lychees
Native to China, lychees have a soft, juicy flesh and sweet flavor that goes nicely with pork. Canned lychees are available year-round in Asian markets and in many local supermarkets.
Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes. Whisk 3 teaspoons cornstarch into the reserved lychee juice.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through.
Add the lychees into the same wok or skillet. Stir the lychee juice and cornstarch and add into the pan, stirring to thicken. Stir-fry until the pork is cooked through and all the ingredients are mixed together. Serve hot.
Romantic Lychees The small red lychee nut, which is shaped like a heart and has sweet-tasting flesh, is a symbol of lo
ve in Chinese culture. Appropriately for a romantic fruit, lychees are also “heart healthy.” Each lychee fruit contains less than 10 calories and is a good source of vitamin C and vitamins B2 and B3.
Stir-Fried Lychee Pork with Vegetables
If you can find fresh lychees, feel free to use them in this recipe — just peel the skin off the lychee and remove the seed in the middle. Instead of canned lychee juice, substitute ¼ cup water and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
Cut the pork into cubes. Place the pork cubes in a bowl and add 1½ tablespoons soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, Asian sesame oil, black pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 20 minutes.
Combine the lychee juice and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a bowl. Set aside. Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the water. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Let brown for a minute, then stir-fry the pork, moving it around the pan until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chopped shallot. Stir-fry, moving the shallot around the pan until it begins to soften, then add the red bell peppers. Stir-fry until they are tender but still crisp, then stir in the lychees.
Push the fruit and vegetables to the sides and add the lychee-juice mixture in the middle. Bring to a boil, and add the cornstarch and water mixture, stirring quickly to thicken. When the sauce thickens, add the pork back into the pan. Stir-fry for about 2 more minutes to mix the sauce in with the other ingredients. Stir in the green onions. Serve hot.
Serves 4
1 pound pork tenderloin
2½ tablespoons soy sauce, divided