Yuxiang Pork (Yuxiang Rousi, 鱼香肉丝)
Adapted from Sichuan (China) Cuisine in Both Chinese and English, published in China in 2010 by the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine and the Sichuan Gourmet Association.
The Mala Market
Ingredients
- ¾ to 1 pound lean pork, cut in very thin strips or slivers about 2 inches long
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 stalks Western celery or 6 stalks Chinese celery or equivalent amount of celtuce, cut in thin strips (save leaves for garnish)
- A small handful of dried wood ear or cloud ear fungus, to make about ½ cup when rehydrated
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons minced scallion
- 1 tablespoon Pixian chili bean paste (preferably red-oil bean paste, hongyou douban) OR 2-3 tablespoons minced pickled erjingtiao chilies
- 3 tablespoons Baoning or Zhenjiang vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoons chicken stock or water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with equal amount of water
- ¼ cup canola or peanut oil
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: slice pork into thin strips, which is much easier to do if it is slightly frozen. Marinate pork strips in Shaoxing wine. Cover wood ear mushrooms in very hot water and let sit for about 15 minutes or until soft, drain and slice thinly. Slice celery (or celtuce) in thin strips to match pork strips. Mince ginger, garlic and scallions.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup mix vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine and chicken stock. Mix cornstarch and water in another small prep bowl.
- Heat wok over high flame until heat starts to rise. Add ¼ cup oil and when hot add the pork strips. Spread them out and let them cook, stirring and flipping them every so often until just cooked through. Move the pork to the sides of the wok with your spatula and add the ginger, garlic and scallions to the well in the center. There should be plenty of oil to briefly cook them. Add chili bean paste (or pickled chilies) and cook briefly. Mix in the pork, then add celery and wood ear strips. Mix all together and stir-fry until celery starts to wilt.
- Add vinegar sauce mixture and distribute well, then add cornstarch slurry a bit at a time, continuing to stir-fry, until sauce thickens (you might not need it all). Plate and garnish with celery leaves.