Spicy Chungking Pork

by Helen Chen
from Easy Chinese Stir-Fries
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
Serves 3 to 4

This is a classic Sichuan dish named after Chongqing, a major city in Sichuan province. It is also known as “twice-cooked pork,” because the pork is first poached and then stir-fried. I have simplified the recipe, without sacrificing flavor, by eliminating the first cooking.—Helen Chen

convert Ingredients
3/4 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound green cabbage, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1 1?2-inch chunks
3 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife and peeled

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Method
1. Slice the tenderloin crosswise 1/8 inch thick. (If necessary, freeze briefly first to make slicing easier.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the wine and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Add the pork and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch in 1/4 cup water, making sure it is completely dissolved.

2. In another small bowl, stir together the black beans and crushed red pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce and soy sauce.

3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cabbage; it should sizzle. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. The cabbage may brown slightly. Remove to a plate.

4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan and heat over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until the oil is hot and the ginger and garlic sizzle. Do not brown. Stir up the pork mixture, add to the pan, and cook, stirring briskly, until the pork is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the black bean mixture and stir a few times. Stir up the sauce mixture, and add to the pan, mixing well. Return the vegetables to the pan, stir, then add the cornstarch mixture, and stir for 30 seconds. Remove and discard the ginger and garlic, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe © 2009 Helen Chen. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.