Pork & Cabbage Stir Fry 🇨🇳

This is one of those homestyle Chinese stir fries that you don't find in restaurants.  Velvety slices of marinated pork and crunchy pieces of cabbage tossed in a wok with ginger, garlic and spring onions makes a light but very satisfying meal with rice on the side.  For a dish like this you want the meat so tender that it melts in your mouth and there are a few tips: (1)use premium cut of pork such as fillet or boneless loin steak; (2)slice the meat thinly against the grain; (3)marinate and coat slices with cornflour to help retain moisture during cooking; (4)sear the meat in a hot wok without stewing and toughening them up.  Some chefs add baking soda to tenderise the meat before cooking, which I don't find necessary provided the above steps are followed.  As to the cabbage, fry them quickly with some oil, just a little seasoning and a splash of water.  We don't want them limp or swimming in a sauce in this recipe.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 200g / 7oz pork fillet or boneless pork loin steak
• 400g / 14oz cabbage leaves, sliced into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 thumb-size slices of ginger, julienned 
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1-2 spring onions, sliced into 4cm / 1½" lengths

For marinating the pork:

• 2 teaspoons Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1 teaspoon ginger juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon sugar

METHOD

1. Trim fat and sinew off the pork.  Slant your knife at 45 degree angle and slice the pork across the grain into thin pieces.
2. Marinate the pork in a bowl with wine, ginger juice, cornflour, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar for 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok on high until very hot.  With your spatula, spread the oil around the bottom of the wok.  Add all the pork.  Spread them out in a thin layer and let them fry, undisturbed, for about a minute until caramelised on one side, then toss them around to cook through.  Remove to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and ginger.  Fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the cabbage.  Stir fry for about 2 minutes or until the cabbage begins to wilt.  Add light soy sauce, sugar and water.  Continue to stir fry for another 1 minute until the cabbage is softened but still crunchy.
6. Return the pork to the wok.  Toss in the spring onions and mix well.  Adjust seasoning by adding a pinch of salt if needed.   
7. Serve hot with steamed rice.