Salt Fried Pork is a flavor-packed Sichuan dish perfect for weeknights, since it takes just 10 minutes to make. Juicy pork, aromatic green garlic, douchi, and Pixian douban are fundamental flavors of Sichuan cuisine: deeply complex but simple to enjoy,
Salt Fried Pork closely resembles the well-known Twice Cooked Pork, which shares near identical ingredients. The key difference lies in how the pork is cut and cooked: Salt Fried Pork removes the skin and skips the boiling step in Twice Cooked Pork. Salt Fried Pork flavor is centered around douchi, whereas Twice Cooked Pork leans more heavily on Pixian douban. The resulting dishes have different mouthfeel and different flavor.
The Ingredients
Green Garlic – Also called “spring garlic” or “young garlic”, this is simply immature garlic. The plant has firm green leaves and a white or purple bulb. Think of it as a milder, brighter version of garlic that’s perfectly suited to stir-fries.
Pork Rump – This recipe calls for a cut of pork with a roughly 40/60 proportion of fat to lean meat. The cut traditionally used for this dish is called 二刀肉 (second cut meat), which comes from the rump (back leg). Pork belly makes an acceptable substitute, look for a cut with that 40/60 proportion of fat.
Neutral High Smoke Point Oil – The high heat nature of the cooking method causes lower smoke point oil to burn and take on bitter flavors, so avoid extra virgin olive oil and butter. I recommend Peanut, canola, rapeseed, avocado, and grapeseed oil for wok cooking.
Pixian Doubanjiang – Doubanjiang is a fermented chili bean paste from Sichuan, a core component of the cuisine. Pixian refers to its provenance— a protected designation, the Champagne of doubanjiang if you will. Look for Pixian douban to ensure the traditional mix of ingredients and methods for Sichuan cuisine. Other types of doubanjiang tend to have added sugar or soy that will drastically change your result.
Douchi – These little fermented black soybeans are found through numerous Chinese regional cuisines. Black soybeans are heavily salted and fermented for an umami-rich flavor perfect in noodles, stir-fries, and sauces alike.
Dark Soy Sauce – As the name implies, it’s the typical light soy’s deeper colored cousin. Dark soy sauce tends to be lighter in taste, used primarily for adding color. Light soy sauce can be substituted in a pinch.
Sugar – Any white granulated sugar will do in this recipe.
A few tips for wok cooking
Mise en place – Cut, portion, and prepare all your ingredients before putting the wok on heat. Once the cooking process starts, the steps go by quickly with just seconds in-between.
Use a high smoke point oil – The benefit of a wok is quick, high-heat cooking, so you’ll need a fat that can keep up. Peanut, canola, rapeseed, avocado, and grapeseed oil are all suitable choices with smoke points over 400°F. Low smoke point fats like extra virgin olive oil or butter will burn and take on bitter flavors.
Hot wok, cold oil (热锅冷油) – Begin heating the wok with nothing in it to ensure even, high heat. The wok is sufficiently hot when almost smoking or a drop of water evaporates immediately once it hits the pan. From here, add your oil and get to stir frying.
Dry your ingredients – After washing and slicing your produce, pat them dry or let them air dry. Excess water will quickly lower the wok’s temperature and extends the cooking process. Water and oil also don’t get along, increasing risk of splatters and grease flames licking up.
Salt Fried Pork 盐煎肉
Ingredients
- 250 g fatty pork rump skin removed
- 2 sprigs green garlic sub 1 medium leek
- 2 Tbsp neutral high smoke point oil
- 2 tsp Pixian doubanjiang
- 1 Tbsp douchi
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Slice the green garlic or leek on the bias into 1 inch segments. Reserve the white and green parts separately.
- Slice the pork thinly into 2in (5cm) rectangles, making sure each piece has a both fat and lean meat. Tip: Use a sharp knife and slice the pork immediately after pulling from the refrigerator. You can also freeze the pork for 30 minutes to firm up for cleaner slicing.
- Heat a wok over high heat until almost smoking then add 2 Tbsp oil. Heat oil until shimmering, then add sliced pork. Stir fry until pork is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 Tbsp douchi and stir fry for 10 seconds. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add 2 tsp Pixian doubanjiang to the pooled fat in the pan and stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce, stir immediately to coat pork evenly.
- Add white parts of green garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add remaining green parts and stir fry for 10 seconds more, until just starting to wilt. Taste for seasoning, adding a pinch of salt if needed.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
