Easy tender pork slices stir-fried with fermented black bean sauce.
I am testing my own fermented black beans in recent days and the bad news is I have failed at the first batch. The beans are not completely fermented. Although I was quite frustrated by the result, still, I love fermented black bean sauce. In China, we get a very popular dish named “盐煎肉”literally means “salt sautéed pork”, as a sister dish to twice cooked pork is extremely popular in Sichuan province. We use sliced pork ham and fry with peppers. That one is dry and chewy with the method of dry-frying or dry sautéing (干煎).
This is another new option for those who do not like fat meat. Instead, pork butt or pork tenderloin can be used. With a juice marinating and the help of the starch shell, your pork can be tender and full of flavor.
Cook’s Note
To make the pork tender, we have two important steps.
- Add enough liquid to make the pork slices juicy themselves. So grasping (or messaging mixing) is the key step. We need to make the liquid completely absorbed.
- Use cornstarch to form a protecting shell to prevent pork slices from loosing the liquid.
Ingredients
- 150g (around 4.5 ounces) pork butt or tenderloin, sliced
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. cooking wine
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. water or chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- cooking oil as needed
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp. black bean sauce
- 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
- a very small pinch of salt if needed
- 4 scallions, cut into small sections
- 3 fresh red chili peppers, cut into small sections
- 2 fresh green chili peppers, cut into small sections
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
Steps
Thinly slice the pork. Add salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, water (or chicken stock) and white pepper. Grasp (message) the pork slice for 2-3 minutes until all the juice is well absorbed. Set aside for 10 minutes. Then just before frying, mix cornstarch i add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
Heat your wok or pan firstly. Add cooking oil to form a 2-3 cm high layer (do not be scared by the oil amount, we do not eat them all). Spread the pork sliced in. Let them stay for 5 to 10 seconds and then quickly fry them until turns pale. Transfer out immediately.
Remove the extra oil and save them for vegetable stir fries. Keep around 1 tablespoon of oil and fry garlic, ginger and scallion until aromatic. Place fresh pepper sections in to fry for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Return pork sliced in, add dark soy sauce and black beans sauce. Mix well and move out immediately. Be quick in this process and it is better to finish this within 30 seconds.
A beautiful and delicious stir fry is made within minutes.
- 150 g around 4.5 ounces pork butt or tenderloin, sliced
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. cooking wine
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. water or chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- cooking oil as needed
- 1 garlic cloves ,minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- 4 scallions ,cut into small sections
- 1 black bean sauce or 1 tbsp. chopped black beans
- 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
- 3 fresh red chili peppers ,cut into small sections
- 2 fresh green chili peppers ,cut into small sections
- a very small pinch of salt if needed
-
Thinly slice the pork. Add salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, water (or chicken stock) and white pepper. Message the pork slice for 2-3 minutes until all the juice is well absorbed. Set aside for 10 minutes.
-
Mix cornstarch in and add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
-
Heat your wok or pan firstly. Add cooking oil to form a 2-3 cm high layer (do not be scared by the oil amount, we do not eat them all). Spread the pork sliced in. Let them stay for 5 to 10 seconds and then quickly fry them until turns pale. Transfer out immediately.
-
Remove the extra oil and save them for vegetable stir fries. Keep around 1 tablespoon of oil and fry garlic, ginger and scallion until aromatic. Place fresh pepper sections in to fry for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Return pork sliced in, add dark soy sauce and black beans sauce. Mix well and see if any extra salt is needed. Move out immediately after mixed. Be quick in this process and it is better to finish this within 30 seconds.
Fermented black beans are one of my favorite seasonings. They are very affordable and always add such a nice, earthy flavor in stir fry dishes. I especially love them with seafood.
Agree!
I love the strong soy flavor of fermented black beans too. Happy cooking.
What do you mean” grasp the meat” ?
Massage the meat for a while until all the sauce is absorbed. But I think grasping is the better description.
Just a note, you really might want to explain what grasping means in your post… There is a whole thread of confused people on Facebook today trying to help a lady who didn’t know to check the comments for help! Massaging is a much more common phrase and would probably provide a better user experience to reference it.
httpss://www.facebook.com/groups/bbcgoodfoodtogether/permalink/396603191794568/
Haha, thanks Chloe for this information.
I agree, massaging is a better word to use, in this instance, than grasping. Nice recipe. Thanks.
Can you please tell me how much black bean sauce do need for this recipe? One tablespoon? Thank you!
If you use fermented black beans directly, use around 1 tablespoon.
Delicious. Thank you for your guide, I used much less oil and just stir-fried the pork initially, then removed it. I also partially cooked some broccoli in boiling water (10 mins), then removed and plunged into cold water. I added the broccoli at the last minute to warm through. Excellent recipe.
Lovely idea to add broccoli, Don!
Absolutely sensational! This dinner was a hit with my family, everyone reaching for seconds until it was gone (I was certain there’d be leftovers, nope!)
I cook Cantonese and Szechuan food more than any other cuisine; I’ll definitely make this again, this recipe’s a keeper.
The only thing I’d do differently is use less oil. The pork began to fry rather than produce that roast-y wok hei taste. Next time I’ll use just a tbsp.