Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts
I created 3jamigos to chronicle our family’s food adventures, recipes, and stories, with my kids in mind. Back in my college days, I often called home to ask my dad how to make homestyle Cantonese dishes I grew up eating. Dishes like fuzzy melon soup, congee, and steamed pork patty, were the connection to my family, a sure-fire remedy to my homesickness. Things have come full circle, I’m now on the receiving end of the “how do you make…?”. When I come across a dish that is simple and delicious, and I think the kids would like this, I make a mental note to put it on 3jamigos.
Soul Food
The OG meal to cure homesickness! Corn Soup, stir-fried anything green, Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Eggs and Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage, and Mushrooms.
Soul food and comfort food for my family starts with Cantonese food (Roots, baby) but extends to other Asian cuisines. You are just as likely to find Bulgogi, Japchae, and Teriyaki on our dinner table. My latest find, is a cookbook that speaks to the melting pot we are, A Common Table by Cynthia McTernan. Absolutely one of my favorites. It’s beautifully written, gorgeously photographed and contains delicious user-friendly recipes.
Along with Tofu Soup, this quick and easy, Stir-Fried Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts has become a family favorite. Adapted from Korean Bapsang, it is a quick meal on a busy weeknight. A couple of minutes of prepping and cooking is all it takes. Before you know it you’ll be sitting down to a bowl of steaming hot rice topped with a generous scoop of yummy pork and sprouts…yep, bowl food is soul food.
Check It Out Now-Sprout Soul Sistah
Slivers of pork belly stir-fried with bean sprouts, onions, and scallions. Seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce, it’s delicious and simple to make. Frying the pork in sesame oil and adding fresh Thai chili pepper slices to the dish, my contribution. Use thinly sliced pork butt or shoulder instead of pork belly if you like. Thinly sliced beef is also an option. IN A PINCH, use regular thick-sliced bacon. This would add that characteristic smoky flavor of bacon, which would be okay in my book 😉.
Sprouts
The only thing you need to know about the bean sprouts for this recipe…don’t overcook them! Keep them crunchy! That’s it, folks. Make sure you pick sprouts that are white and shiny, with a nice yellow tip. I also threw in a thinly sliced, de-seeded Serrano or Thai pepper, for a little spice.
Enjoy!
Stir-fried pork belly and bean sprouts-Samgyupsal sukju bokkeum
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thinly sliced/shaved pork belly or other thinly sliced pork or beef
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 10 ounces bean sprouts
- 1/4 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 -3 plump garlic cloves
- 2-3 scallions or 2 ounces garlic chives cut into 1 inch segments, if they are large, cut in half lengthwise first
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or oyster sauce Use 1 T of each
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded and sliced thinly
Instructions
- If you are using pork belly, cut each slice into 1 inch segments, for other meats thinly sliced into bite sized pieces
- Give the bean sprouts a quick rinse, and drain. Thinly slice the onion, and cut the scallions (or garlic chives) into 2-inch pieces.
- Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the sesame oil to the pan and then the pork, stir-fry quickly until no longer pink.
- Add the onion and stir fry briefly 30 seconds. Add bean sprouts chili pepper (if using) and scallions, continue to stir fry until the bean sprouts have wilted slightly but are still crunchy.
- Add the soy sauce and/or oyster sauce, garlic, sugar and pepper to taste. Stir-fry quickly. Season with salt to taste if necessary. Serve with a big bowl of rice (although this would go well with noods too). Enjoy!
Notes
If you want to thinly slice the meat yourself, freeze the meat until it's firm, but still sliceable. With a sharp knife, slice the meat as thin as you can.