#ewew cooks Black Pepper Pork Stir-Fry

The first time I made Chukadon (a Chinese-style rice bowl), my husband commented that the pork slices were very tender and nice.  I hardly cook with pork slices (I usually use minced pork) so that I don't have to deal with pork that might turn out not tender (and minced pork is failproof...lol).

Buoyed by the success of tender pork, I started to cook more with lean pork slices.  I'd normally cook it simply with potatoes in oyster sauce or with ginger slices and spring onions but, one time, I decided to go the black pepper route and make Black Pepper Pork Stir-Fry.

 

Ingredients:

300g lean pork, sliced

1 - 2 onions, sliced

2 - 3 stalks spring onions, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 bird's eye chillies 

1 tsp black pepper 

1/4 tsp salt

Drizzle of thick dark soy

Marinade (for the pork slices):

2 tsp soy

2 tsp Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp cornstarch

A few dashes of white pepper

Preparation:

Slice pork into thin slices.  I do that by freezing the slab of lean pork slightly as it's easier to slice when it's firmer.  Slice the onions and cut the spring onions.  Leave the bird's eye chillies whole.  I tumbuk (pounded) some black peppercorns to get 1 tsp of freshly cracked black pepper.  I marinated the pork slices (with soy sauce, cornstarch and a little Shaoxing wine) ahead of time and kept it in the fridge until I'm ready to cook them.

It's the cornstarch that makes the pork tender (I realised that when I made Chukadon) while the Shaoxing wine (you can use mirin or sake too) helps to reduce the strong porky flavour.  I later learned that this is a process called velveting which ensures tender, smooth, silky pieces of meat in your stir-fry.  Velveting is a common Chinese cooking technique where meat or seafood is marinated and then pre-cooked in oil or water before stir-frying with other ingredients.  The way the meat is treated is not something new to me but the term velveting is (well, we learn something new every day).

Method:

Saute the sliced onions in some oil in a non-stick pan until soften and lightly caramelised.  I do the onions first as the pan will get a bit sticky after searing the pork.  I used 2 big onions (that's quite a lot actually) but since I like to eat onions, the more the merrier.  Remove onto a plate.

Add a bit more oil and saute the sliced pork next.  You can choose to velvet your pork by blanching, searing or deep-frying.  I obviously chose to sear for a 'less oil' approach.  Do not crowd the pan (do it in two batches if you have to) as you want the pork to sear, not steam.  Resist the temptation to move the pork around like a stir-fry.  Leave it to sear for a while before flipping the pieces over.

You should be able to see some sear marks and nice caramelisation (because of the soy used in the marinade).  Dish up the cooked pork onto the same plate as the sauteed onions (less one plate to wash mah).

Again, add a little bit more oil to saute the chopped garlic.  Throw in a couple of bird's eye chillies (keep them whole) just to impart a bit of heat into the dish.  I was a bit of a wuss and used only 2 red and 2 green ones as red ones are usually very fiery.  On hindsight, it could do with a few more bird's eye chillies and you can certainly add more if you like it spicier.  For a more colourful presentation and lesser heat, you can substitute with fresh red chillies (or even red bell peppers)! ;)

Next, return the cooked onions and pork into the pan.....and add in the 1 tsp of freshly pounded black pepper (again, you can choose to use more if you like it more peppery).

Drizzle with thick dark soy.  I can't tell you how much I used as it was poured out directly from the bottle (probably about 1/2 tsp or more).  Eyeball how much you need but it needs to be dark (the thick soy also gives it a bit of sweetness).  At this time, adjust the seasoning to taste (I seasoned it with a further 1/4 tsp of salt).

Once you're happy with the flavours, add in the spring onions at the last minute.  You just need to toss them in quickly as they cook in no time.  Add in a little water (but not too much) to help mix everything together. This recipe is a black pepper stir-fry, not a black pepper sauce dish.

Always put in more spring onions than you think you need coz they wilt down easily when fried, it wouldn't look like much (and I like mine with lots of spring onions).  I actually like eating the softened onions and spring onions more than the pork.

Once the spring onions wilt, the dish is ready......so here's my Black Pepper Pork Stir-Fry that takes no time at all to cook.  The first time I cooked this was during MCO 3.0 and it turned out delicious that I've cooked it again since.

The cornstarch in the velveting marinade (you can also use tapioca starch) helps to make the pork slices so tender and smooth (like velvet, I suppose). ;P  This tasty dish will really appeal to those who love black pepper...and I do....and so does my husband.  He even sprinkles it on his fries.

I think my earliest introduction to anything black pepper was probably eating a piece of steak in black pepper sauce.  The use of black pepper in Chinese cooking isn't very common especially in the generation before us (I don't remember my mom ever using black pepper in her cooking as it's considered more of a western spice or seasoning).  But, nowadays, it's commonplace in Chinese kitchens and restaurants...and one of my favourite dishes to come out from there is a black pepper beef or venison stir-fry.  You can certainly substitute pork with beef (with this recipe) if you can find some good quality beef.

I love the soften, caramelised onions as well as the spurt of freshness that the spring onions bring....but more so than ever is that lovely, fragrant, peppery taste of the black pepper that truly makes this dish different from other stir-fries.  Give it a go if you're a big fan of black pepper...which I am (obviously)....and so is my family! ^_~