Sichuan Pork in Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce
Pork
Stir-Fry
Instructions
- 1
For the sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl and set aside.
- 2
For the pork: Cut pork into 2-inch lengths, then cut each length into 1/4-inch matchsticks. Combine pork with baking soda and water in bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- 3
Rinse pork in cold water. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk rice wine and cornstarch in bowl. Add pork and toss to coat.
- 4
For the stir-fry: Combine garlic, scallion whites, and chili paste in bowl.
- 5
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook until celery is crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to separate bowl.
- 6
Add remaining 3 Tbsp oil to now-empty skillet and place over medium-low heat. Add garlic-scallion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer 1 Tbsp garlic-scallion oil to small bowl and set aside.
- 7
Add pork to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
- 8
Whisk sauce mixture to recombine and add to skillet. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and pork is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.
- 9
Return vegetables to skillet and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with scallion greens and reserved garlic-scallion oil, and serve over rice.
💡 Cook's Notes
Meat soaked in a solution of baking soda and water? While it sounds unappetizing, there's a good reason for this step: Alkaline baking soda makes the meat more tender by raising its pH. As this happens, enzymes in the meat called calpains become more active and cut the meat's muscle fibers. The tenderizing effect is twofold: First, as the meat's fibers break down, its texture softens. Second, since the meat's looser consistency retains water better, it's less likely to contract and expel moisture when heated, ensuring that the meat stays juicy throughout. The baking soda solution gets washed off before cooking.
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