Stir-Fried Pork with Spring Onions
A Chinese stir-fry: thin strips of pork tossed hot with sliced spring onion, garlic and a glossy soy-and-Shaoxing sauce.
Overview
This simple stir-fried dish in the southern Chinese tradition showcases how elemental technique and timing create exceptional results. The key to success is not to overcook the pork. A brief marinade tenderizes the meat and infuses flavour, while spring onions added late retain their fresh bite and delicate onion flavour.
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Pork & Marinade
- 350 grams boneless lean pork (cut into thin slices, about 5 cm long)
- 2 teaspoons dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon cornflour
Cooking & Finishing
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 4 spring onions (cut diagonally into 5 cm lengths)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare & Marinate
- Cut the pork into thin slices, about 5 cm long.
- Put the sliced pork into a bowl and mix in the dry sherry, soy sauce and cornflour.
- Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so the pork absorbs the flavours.
Stage 2 - Prepare Spring Onions
- Cut the spring onions on the diagonal into 5 cm lengths.
Stage 3 - Stir-Fry
- Heat a wok to very high heat and add the oil.
- When almost smoking, add the pork slices and stir-fry until brown.
- Add the spring onions, salt and sugar.
- Continue to stir-fry until the pork is cooked and slightly firm. This should take about 5 minutes total.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Remove and arrange the pork on a warm serving platter.
- Pour over any juices and serve at once.
Notes
- Not overcooking: Pork can become tough if overcooked. Watch carefully, it should be cooked through but still tender.
- Spring onion timing: Adding spring onions late preserves their fresh flavour and delicate texture.
- Marinade importance: The 10-15 minute rest lets the cornflour coat the pork, aiding even cooking and tenderizing with soy and sherry.
Serving
Serve with: Steamed white rice
Storage
- Best served immediately
- Keeps 1-2 days refrigerated (pork toughens slightly; spring onions wilt)
- Not recommended for freezing
More like this
Fried Rice
Fried rice is fundamentally about texture contrast: individual grains coated entirely with hot oil, remaining crispy and separate, never clumped or greasy. Success requires three critical elements: Cold rice (overnight-refrigerated best), sufficiently hot oil (nearly smoking), and a light hand with seasonings. The beaten egg is never pre-cooked; instead, it's added raw to the hot rice and oil where residual heat cooks it silkily, coating the grains. Bean sprouts provide fresh textural contrast. This is not comfort food; it's refined technique applied to simple ingredients.
Pork with Black Bean Sauce
Pork goes particularly well with black beans; their salt and spicy flavour is distinctly Chinese. This quick-cooking dish balances tender pork with the bold, pungent character of fermented black beans. The result is authentic, flavour-forward, and ready in minutes. Perfect for weeknight meals or elegant entertaining.
Wuntun Soup
A comforting Chinese soup featuring delicate pork-filled wontons poached and served in a clear chicken broth, garnished with soy sauce and sesame oil for authentic flavor.
Chow Mein
Chow mein literally means 'stir-fried noodles' and this contemporary dish is equally popular throughout southern China as it is worldwide. Fresh egg noodles are quickly stir-fried with protein and vegetables, creating a harmonious balance of textures and flavours. The keys to success are properly cooked noodles, high-heat wok cooking, and precise timing.