In China, you’ll see a lot of dishes with the description “Yu Xiang,” (鱼香), which literally means “fish fragrance,” or “fish flavor.” There’s actually no fish involved in the dish, and there are tons of different versions. In the U.S., you might find the American takeout version of Yu Xiang Rou Si, known as Chinese shredded pork stir-fry or more commonly as “Pork with Garlic Sauce.”
But it seems that both the Chinese and American names are misleading. The dish originated in the Sichuan province of China, and I was told by the restaurant staff that what I tasted was the authentic dish in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. From what I could tell, there was no distinct fish sauce or garlic in the dish! It had and rather gentle spicy, zesty and slightly sweet taste to it.
This shredded pork stir-fry recipe may or may not be “Yu Xiang” for some, but it’s an quick and easy recreation of that dish that I had in Chengdu. One of the main ingredients of this recipe is also called “wo sun” which essentially is the stem of giant Romaine lettuce.
No joke, these stalks are usually 2 inches in diameter and I have only seen them in China. I wouldn’t be surprised if they can be found in Asian supermarkets in the States these days.
I used this ingredient here in Beijing, but this is a great way to use the long stems that you might be throwing away when you buy broccoli. The flavor and texture of the two are really similar, and it’s a great use of this usually wasted part of the broccoli. Plus, it’s healthy!
We recently published a more authentic version of Pork with Garlic Sauce – Yu Xiang Rou Si so if you want to go more authentic, you must check out that recipe too!
Recipe Instructions
Put the sliced pork in a small bowl.
Coat the pork in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon oil and set aside. This creates a glossy texture.
Cut all of your vegetables (broccoli stems, carrots, bell peppers, long hot green peppers) and arrange on plate for easy access when cooking.
Make sure to de-seed the peppers and remove the “veins” inside unless you want the dish to be really spicy!
Mix the second teaspoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water to make a slurry and set aside. Heat a wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry the pork quickly for about 1 minute. Remove the pork from the wok and set aside.
Keep the wok on high heat and add another teaspoon of oil (if needed) and toss in the dried red chili peppers.
Cook them for about 10 seconds and then add the vegetables to the wok. Toss the mixture with a sturdy metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes at the highest heat.
Pour the shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze and create some sizzle.
Add the pork back to the wok, and give it all a quick toss.
Then add the rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and white pepper.
Toss the mixture and add your cornstarch and water slurry along with a tablespoon of red chili oil. Give it a last stir and serve your shredded pork stir-fry over rice!
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Recipe
Shredded Pork Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pork loin sliced in small strips (225g)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (divided)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 5 broccoli stems (peeled and julienned)
- 1 large carrot (julienned)
- 1 small yellow or red bell pepper (julienned)
- 4 long hot green peppers (you can also substitute with a bell pepper or a milder green pepper, julienned)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 6 dried red chili peppers
- 2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon red chili oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, coat the pork in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon oil and set aside. Cut all of your vegetables and arrange on plate for easy access when cooking. Mix the second teaspoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water to make a slurry and set aside.
- Heat a wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry the pork quickly for about 1 minute. Remove the pork from the wok and set aside.
- Keep the wok on high heat and add another teaspoon of oil (if needed) and toss in the dried chilis. Cook them for about 10 seconds and then add the vegetables to the wok. Toss the mixture with a sturdy metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes at the highest heat. Pour the shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze and create some sizzle. Add the pork back to the wok, and give it all a quick toss. Then add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and white pepper.
- Toss the mixture and add your cornstarch and water slurry along with a tablespoon of chili oil. Give it a last stir and serve with rice!
