Easy Pork Stir Fry
This is a quick dinner for those busy nights. The sauce is so flavorful, I added a little bit of fish sauce that gives so much umami flavor to this dish. You can double the amount of soy sauce if you’re not a big fan of the fish sauce. This dish has a touch of Vietnamese flavor and in their cooking, they use a lot of fish sauce, even with their side dishes. If you’re meal prepping, this dish stays fresh for days refrigerated in airtight containers. I had so much fun making this dish, and I hope you will too. Let’s do this!
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how to prep the ingredients
- Use a platter or baking sheet to place your cut-up veggies.
- Make sure you have everything in place before you start heating your pan. For example, if you add garlic to the hot oil you need to have your next ingredient ready right away before the garlic burns. This is the reason I’d like to have all my veggies cut up and the rest of the ingredients readily available.
- In this recipe, the carrot is cut into thin strips and the rest of the ingredients are thinly sliced.
- Another option is to select a lean cut of meat and ask the butcher to grind it for you. This way you know what’s in your ground meat. If you’re not a big fan of ground pork, you can use ground beef, turkey, or chicken. For a vegetarian option, you can use fried tofu cut into bite-sized pieces.
how to make the sauce
- I find that a measuring cup is very helpful to mix all the ingredients for my sauce.
- Combine fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and honey, use a fork or a whisk to make sure the brown sugar dissolved and all ingredients are well incorporated.
Soy sauce vs. Fish sauce
Soy sauce
It is originated in China more than 2000 years ago. It’s brewed from fermented soybeans and salt brine. It adds complex and savory saltiness to your dish. Soy sauce is used mostly in all Asian cuisines. There are hundreds of varieties you can find in today’s market. I like using soy sauce when making Teriyaki sauce, Sweet and Sour Sauce, and Korean-Style BBQ Beef.
Fish sauce
Let’s talk about this “fishy fishy” sauce. I remember growing up in the Philippines, my grandma always uses the fish sauce to flavor her dish. I’m not gonna lie, the house smelled funky but we always have the windows and doors open to air out the funky smell. It’s ok to leave them open because the weather is nice and always breezy.
Fish sauce is also one of the basic ingredients in Vietnamese cooking along with another Asian cuisine. The process of fermenting fish and salt takes at least two years. In the Philippines, it’s called “patis”. Fish sauce of course tastes fishy and salty, also a bit funky but in a good way. It’s great with lime juice and other ingredients to help balance the flavor of your dishes. It’s mostly used for cooking and not so much by itself, and doesn’t make the dish taste fishy.
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Easy Pork Stir Fry
Equipment
- Wok or wide pan
- Wooden cooking spatula
- Rice cooker (if serving with rice)
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons oil, canola or vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 medium-sized carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 red chili pepper, sliced
- 2 green onions (scallions), sliced
- cilantro and mint, roughly chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, honey, and lime juice. Use a fork or whisk, stir until all sauce ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
- Heat a wok or wide pan with oil. Add garlic and ginger, saute for a few seconds or until aromatic. Add the ground pork, stir, cook until no longer pink.
- Add carrot, red chili pepper, green onions, stir to combine. Garnish with herbs, cilantro, and mint. Serve with steamed rice and cut-up cucumber and radish.
Notes
- I seldom use fish sauce, but in this recipe, it tastes great, and wouldn’t shy to use a little bit of it.
- Mixing fresh herbs as cilantro and mint give freshness to any dish.
- If you’re a vegetarian, you can use tofu. Season the tofu with soy sauce first, then fry. Make sure to use firm textured tofu and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
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ABOUT JEN
Welcome to my virtual home. I’m a mom of two wonderful girls and a Community Education Culinary Instructor. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking and prepping meals will save you money, time, and you know what goes into your food. Definitely worth the effort. Read more…