Kitchen Recipe Collection
Pork in Garlic Sauce (Yu Xiang Rou Si)
A famous Sichuan dish featuring julienned pork and wood ear mushrooms stir-fried in a complex 'fish-fragrant' sauce that is sweet, sour, spicy, and garlicky.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 3
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 3 servings
- 250g lean pork (tenderloin or loin), julienned into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup dried wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and julienned
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- 2 tbsp Pickled Red Chilies (Pao Jiao), minced
- 1 tbsp Doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp scallions, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp black vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Equipment
- Wok
- Small bowls for marinade and sauce
Instructions
- 1
Marinate Pork
Mix the pork matchsticks with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp water, and 1 tsp oil. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- 2
Prepare Sauce
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water. This is the 'fish-fragrant' sauce.
- 3
Mince Aromatics
This dish requires a huge amount of aromatics. Ensure the garlic, ginger, and scallions are finely minced.
- 4
Prep Veggies
Ensure the wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots are all julienned to the same thickness as the pork.
- 5
Heat Wok
Heat oil in a wok until shimmering.
- 6
Flash-fry Pork
Add the pork and stir-fry rapidly until it turns white and separates. Remove from the wok and set aside.
- 7
Fry Chilies
Add a little more oil to the wok. Fry the pickled red chilies and Doubanjiang over medium heat until the oil is red.
- 8
Sauté Aromatics
Add the huge pile of minced garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Sauté until incredibly fragrant.
- 9
Cook Veggies
Add the julienned wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots. Toss for 1-2 minutes.
- 10
Return Pork
Add the pork back into the wok.
- 11
Pour Sauce
Give the sauce mixture a stir (cornstarch settles) and pour it into the wok.
- 12
Toss and Serve
Toss rapidly over high heat until the sauce thickens and clings to the ingredients. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.
Cooking Tips
- The flavor profile 'Yu Xiang' literally translates to 'fish fragrance', but there is no seafood in the dish. It refers to the traditional blend of pickled chilies, ginger, garlic, sugar, and vinegar used to cook fish in Sichuan.
- The cutting technique is important. Everything should be cut into uniform matchsticks so it cooks evenly and picks up the sauce.
Variations
- Yu Xiang Qie Zi (Eggplant in Garlic Sauce): Substitute the pork with deep-fried batons of Chinese eggplant for an iconic vegetarian version.
Nutrition Estimate
310 calories · 20g protein · 18g carbs · 16g fat · 4g fiber per serving
