Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry

This Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry cost quick and easy to make, and perfect for busy weeknights ! thinly slit pork strips be coat in starch and concisely pale to develop a silky and smooth texture. They ’ re then stir-fried with aromatics, cucumber, and tender wood ear mushrooms in angstrom mouthwatering savory, slightly sweet, and fragrant sauce !
one have angstrom rule : If you like something that you consume regularly astatine angstrom restaurant ( operating room catch for takeaway ), do not FOR THE life OF YOU try to reach information technology at home.

one of two things will happen if you do :

A) You will breeze through information technology on the bullseye, and then never want to plump back to consume at that restaurant again. oregon at the very least, you ’ ll never want to holy order that particular dish at that restaurant.
B) You will miss information technology aside so dramatically far that you will perplex permanently marred for life and never wish to consume that dish ever again. 😱
however, vitamin a with wholly my rule, there be exception ! one present to you one of my all-time favorite szechwan dish – this mouthwatering pork and wood ear mushroom Stir-fry ( mu emergency room Rou Pian – 木耳肉片 ) !

Why This Recipe Works

This tasty dish be superintendent quick and easy to hold at home, and suffer so many brilliant texture and spirit ! We ’ ve draw :

• Silky, smooth, and tender pork strips. The result of coating thinly sliced pork strips in a starch mixture, and then water blanching them briefly with a bit of oil.
• Tender and chewy Asian black fungus. These mushrooms not only taste good and have an interesting texture, but they are also extremely good for you! They’re good for heart health, improve blood circulation, and are rich in B complex vitamins too.
• Softened but still somewhat crisp English cucumber slices.
• Aromatics like garlic, ginger, spring onion and a couple of fresh and dried red chilies for a kick of heat!
• A fragrant sauce that’s savory and a bit sweet, and ridiculously tasty!

ally, iodine buttocks vouch that this serve be a million time good than your average chinese takeout. i think you ’ ra become to beloved information technology !

Ingredients

Dried Cloud Ear Mushroom

• Pork: I used pork loin. But you can also use tenderloin or lean pork instead if you like.
• Chicken Powder: Using chicken powder to flavor meats and season stir-fries is very common in Chinese and Asian cuisines. You’ll need just a little bit to flavor the pork. I recommend using Lee Kum Kee’s Premium Chicken Bouillon Powder without MSG. If you prefer, you can use kosher salt to season the pork instead.
• Ground White Pepper: To also flavor the pork. White pepper is actually hotter than black pepper, so you will need just a pinch to season the pork.
• Corn Starch: To coat the pork strips before we water blanch them.
• Potato Starch: The other half of our starch mixture for coating the pork before water blanching the strips.
• Sesame Oil: You’ll need just a bit of oil to add to the water that you’ll be using to blanch the pork. Traditionally and in most Chinese restaurants, meats are actually blanched in a wok of oil. I’ve found that you can achieve similar results at home to create the silky and tender texture on the pork strips by water blanching with just a tiny bit of oil. This way, it’s less mess and you don’t have to worry about what to do with all the excess used oil. 🙌
• For the Sauce: A quick and easy combination of low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil.
• Aromatics: Some garlic, ginger, and spring onion.
• Red Chilies: Just one or two for some heat. Feel free to omit the chilies or deseed them to make this dish milder.
• Cucumber: I recommend using an English cucumber because they have very small and thin seeds that are easy to chew.
• Dried Wood (or Cloud Ear) Mushrooms: These Asian mushrooms resemble ears in appearance (hence the name), and belong to the Auriculariaceae family. They have a rubbery and chewy texture, and are very popular in Chinese and Sichuan cuisine. Cloud ear mushrooms are similar to wood ear mushrooms, but they are more tender and smaller in size. They can be used interchangeably most of the time. In fact, I actually use whichever I have on hand in my pantry for this dish and both taste great! What you see in the pictures here are dried cloud ear mushrooms that have been rehydrated. You can find dried wood or cloud ear mushrooms in packages in Asian grocery stores in the US and UK, or purchase them online. In Asia, you can usually find fresh and dried versions of both types of mushrooms in your local supermarket and wet market.
• Water: To help soften the cucumber slices.
• Dried Red Chilies: Use just a few, or omit if you prefer to make this dish mild. I like to break them up into pieces so that the seeds inside can release their spicy oils in the wok. But if you aren’t big on spicy food, you can opt to add them in whole.
• Seasonings: Just some kosher salt, sugar, and ground white pepper to taste.
• Cornstarch slurry: To help thicken the sauce. Mix two teaspoons corn starch with ¼ cup water to make this. Be sure to mix the slurry again with a spoon just before adding into the wok because the corn starch will separate and settle at the bottom.
• Peanut Oil and Sesame Oil: For cooking. You are welcome to swap the peanut oil for any other oil with a high burning point such as avocado oil. But the sesame oil will add plenty of flavor to the dish, so make sure you get this for your pantry if you don’t already have it on hand!

Rehydrated Cloud Ear Mushroom

How to Make Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry

american samoa constantly, iodine commend get wholly the homework make forbidden of the direction first. Stir-fries tend to go by very cursorily, then information technology ’ second well to have everything ready and on hand once you start cooking .

1. Marinate the pork: Combine the pork, chicken powder, ground white pepper, corn starch, and potato starch in a large bowl. Mix to combine until the pork is evenly coated, then set aside and allow to marinate for 10-20 minutes.
2. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Thinly slice the garlic, roughly chop the ginger, and chop the fresh red chilies and spring onion. Separate the whites and green parts of the spring onion as they will be added to the wok at different times.
3. Make the sauce: Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup (the latter will make it easier to pour into the wok).
4. Boil the mushrooms: Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Then drain and rinse thoroughly. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces if they are on the larger side, then add them to the boiling water. Boil for 3-5 minutes, then drain into a colander and rinse the mushrooms thoroughly again (the water from the pot will be dirty). Set aside.
5. Blanche the pork: Rinse out the pot you used to boil the mushrooms and fill it up again with water. Add 1 TSP sesame oil to the water and heat over high heat until boiling. Then add the pork and briefly blanch for 20-25 seconds. Switch off the heat and quickly drain into a fine mesh strainer.
6. Make the corn starch slurry: Whisk together the corn starch and water in a small bowl or measuring cup until a slurry has formed.

nowadays that you ’ ve get everything fix, information technology ’ south time to stir-fry and experience this amazing pork and wood ear mushroom dish on the board in under fifteen minute !

1. Sauté aromatics: In a large wok, heat the peanut oil and sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and spring onion whites. Sauté until fragrant – about 1 minute.
2. Cook the cucumber: Next, add the cucumber slices and stir-fry to separate the slices from each other if they are stuck together. Then pour in the 1/3 cup of water and cover the wok. Briefly steam for 2-3 minutes to soften. Uncover the wok and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until almost all of the water has evaporated.
3. Add the chilies: Add the dried and fresh red chilies and continue stir-frying for 30-40 seconds, or until they start to release their fragrance.
4. Throw in the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and toss briefly to combine.
5. Add pork, sauce and seasonings: Next, add the pork, the sauce, kosher salt, sugar, and white pepper to taste and toss to combine.
6. Thicken the sauce: Then give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir with a spoon (the corn starch will have settled at the bottom of the cup) and add it into the wok. Stir-fry for a minute or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Add spring onion greens: Add the spring onion greens and stir-fry for 10 seconds to combine, then switch off the heat.
8. Serve! Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

full ingredient amounts/instruction in the recipe menu below .

FAQs

Can I use chicken or another protein instead of pork? yes, you decidedly displace ! one like to use angstrom large wimp breast when one preceptor ’ t have any pork seated around inch my refrigerator and don ’ thyroxine find like run low out to bribe some. merely you can besides use chicken second joint alternatively. merely thinly cut the chicken and stick to the accurate lapp recipe component sum and instruction to make angstrom wimp and wood ear mushroom Stir-fry !

i have not judge cook this with beef operating room lamb, so can not order how information technology bequeath call on out. merely one do think information technology could ferment. If you do attempt this recipe with vitamin a meat other than pork barrel, let uracil know indium the gossip how information technology exploit out for you ! Can I make this gluten-free? yes ! For the pork barrel, trade the chicken powder for kosher salt. For the sauce, consumption vitamin a gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free colored soy sauce. Can I make this vegetarian or vegan? To do this vegetarian, swap the pork for cube firm bean curd cube rather. iodine recommend pan-fry the season starch coat bean curd on wholly side until crisp alternatively of water pale. This will help to prevent them from break gloomy when you flip them with the mushroom and cucumber in the sauce.

More Easy Weeknight Stir-fries

search for more immediate and easily asian stir-fry recipe for busy weeknight ? assay out approximately of my darling below !
MADE THIS RECIPE? If you cook this recipe, bequeath a comment and review information technology below with angstrom asterisk fink ! i always appreciate your feedback. return a photograph and beryllium certain to tag information technology with @ thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag information technology # thatspicychick and i ’ ll cost sure to partake .
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Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry

★★★★★
five from one review
thinly chopped pork strips be coated in starch and briefly blanch to develop a silky and smooth texture. They ’ rhenium then stir-fried with aromatics, cucumber, and tender wood ear mushrooms in a mouthwatering savory, slightly sweet, and fragrant sauce !

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: twenty
• Cook Time: fifteen
• Total Time: thirty-five hour
• Yield:

  2

  -4

  1

  x

• Category: dinner
• Method: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: chinese

Scale

Ingredients

For the Pork:

• 230g Pork Loin (tenderloin and lean pork is fine too) – excess fat removed and thinly sliced
• ½ TSP Chicken Powder
• ¼ TSP ground White Pepper
• one TSP Corn Starch
• one TSP Potato Starch
• one TSP Sesame Oil (for water blanching)

For the Sauce:

• 1.5 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
• two TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine
• ½ TBLS Rice Vinegar
• one TSP Dark Soy Sauce
• two TSP Sesame Oil

For the Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry:

• six Garlic cloves – thinly sliced
• one inch knob of Ginger – thinly sliced into rounds, then roughly chopped

• Read more : Preparing Fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab

  one Spring Onion – chopped, whites and greens separated

• two Red Chilies – chopped
• ½ a large English Cucumber – thinly sliced at an angle
• ½ cup Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms or Dried Cloud Ear Mushrooms – soaked in a bowl of water for twenty minutes, then drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1/3 cup Water
• five– eight Dried Red Chilies, to taste – broken up into halves and thirds depending on size
• ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
• two– three TSP White Sugar, to taste
• A pinch of ground White Pepper, to taste
• two TSP Corn Starch + 1/4 cup Water (mixed together to make a slurry)
• 1.5 TBLS Peanut Oil
• ½ TBLS Sesame Oil

Instructions

Prep:

1. Marinate the pork: Trim and remove excess fat from the pork cut, then thinly slice into strips. Combine the pork, chicken powder, ground white pepper, corn starch, and potato starch in a large bowl. Mix with chopsticks or a spoon until the pork is evenly coated, then set aside for 10-20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients so that the pork can absorb the seasonings.
2. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Thinly slice the garlic, roughly chop the ginger, and chop the fresh red chilies and spring onion. Separate the whites and green parts of the spring onion as they will be added to the wok at different times.
3. Make the sauce: Combine the low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl or measuring cup (the latter will make it easier to pour into the wok). Mix with a spoon to thoroughly combine, then set aside.
4. Boil the mushrooms: Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Then drain and rinse thoroughly. Cut the wood ears into smaller pieces if they are on the larger side. Then heat water over high heat in a small pot until boiling. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and boil for 3-5 minutes. Drain into a colander and rinse the mushrooms thoroughly again (the water from the pot will be dirty). Set aside.
5. Blanche the pork: Rinse out the pot you used to boil the mushrooms and fill it up again with water. Add 1 TSP sesame oil to the water and heat over high heat until boiling. Then add the pork and briefly boil for 20-25 seconds. Switch off the heat and quickly drain into a mesh strainer. Set aside.
6. Make the corn starch slurry: Combine the corn starch and water in a small bowl or measuring cup (for easier pouring). Mix until combined and a slurry has formed, then set aside.

For the Pork and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry:

1. Sauté aromatics: In a large wok, heat the peanut oil and sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and spring onion whites. Sauté until fragrant – about 1 minute.
2. Cook the cucumber: Next, add the cucumber slices and stir-fry to separate the slices from each other if they are stuck together. Then pour in the 1/3 cup of water and cover the wok. Briefly steam for 2-3 minutes to soften. Uncover the wok and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until almost all of the water has evaporated.
3. Add the chilies: Add the dried and fresh red chilies and continue stir-frying for 30-40 seconds, or until they start to release their fragrance.
4. Add mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and toss briefly to combine.
5. Add pork, sauce and seasonings: Next, add the pork, the sauce, kosher salt, sugar, and white pepper to taste and toss to combine.
6. Thicken the sauce: Then give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir with a spoon (the corn starch will have settled at the bottom of the cup) then add it into the wok. Stir-fry for a minute or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Toss through spring onion: Add the spring onion greens and stir-fry for 10 seconds to combine, then switch off the heat.
8. To Serve: Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

Notes

1. Using Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms vs. Dried Cloud Ear Mushrooms: Pictured here in this recipe are cloud ear mushrooms. But traditionally, this dish is made with wood ear mushrooms in China and in Sichuan restaurants. You can use either interchangeably for this recipe as both taste great. Just be aware that wood ears are more chewy and larger than cloud ears. You may need to cut them into smaller pieces if your wood ears are very large once rehydrated. Cloud ears tend to be smaller and more tender, and I didn’t need to cut them into smaller pieces for this dish. 
2. To make this with chicken: Thinly slice a large chicken breast or chicken thighs. Follow the exact same recipe ingredient amounts and instructions to make a Chicken and Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry.
3. To make this gluten-free: For the pork, swap the chicken powder for kosher salt. For the sauce, use a gluten-free soy sauce, dry sherry instead of Shao Xing rice wine, and a gluten-free dark soy sauce.
4. To make this vegetarian: Swap the pork for diced firm tofu cubes instead. I recommend pan-frying the seasoned starch coated tofu on all sides until crispy instead of water blanching. This will help to prevent them from breaking down when you toss them with the mushrooms and cucumber in the sauce.

Shop the Recipe

dried cloud ear mushroom
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dried wood auricle mushroom
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Shao Xing rice wine
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Nutrition

• Serving Size: one serve
• Calories: 453
• Sugar: 15.2g
• Sodium: 1048.1mg
• Fat: 22.1g
• Saturated Fat: 3.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16.2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 37.7g
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 30.2g
• Cholesterol: 74.8mg

The nutritional information leave constitute approximate and buttocks deviate base on several factor. information technology should only be exploited a vitamin a general guidepost. For more information, please see our disclosure .
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