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.

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 about 45° 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.