Tasty Pork and Pepper Stir-fry

Pork and Pepper Stir-fry is a signature "home-cooked dish" that every household in Hunan Province must try. It's a well-known stir-fry dish that has even been featured multiple times on television, highlighting its widespread popularity. As one of the most representative dishes of Hunan cuisine, Pork and Pepper Stir-fry is known for its deliciously spicy flavor and its ability to complement rice perfectly. What sets it apart is its affordability without compromising on taste.

The famous dish Pork and Pepper Stir-fry is renowned for its numbingly spicy and fragrant taste, along with its distinctive flavors. During cooking, the spiciness of the peppers melds perfectly with the tender meat, creating a unique culinary experience. Even for seemingly simple dishes, there are specific cooking techniques that enhance their flavors. Below, I'll share some with you.

1.What is Pork and Pepper Stir-fry?

Pork and Pepper Stir-fry is a famous dish from Hunan Province, with origins dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. During this period, Hunan's favorable climate and abundant resources made chili peppers and pork primary ingredients in local cuisine. Chili peppers, beloved for their spicy and flavorful nature, were particularly favored by locals. Pork, as the primary meat source at that time, contributed its rich nutritional content and delicious taste, laying the foundation for the creation of Pork and Pepper Stir-fry.

Through Hunan's cooking techniques, primarily involving dry-frying chili peppers and stir-frying slices of meat to extract their oils, Pork and Pepper Stir-fry achieves a fragrant meatiness and a balanced spiciness without overwhelming heat.

Combining these factors, Pork and Pepper Stir-fry gradually gained popularity in Hunan Province and became one of its iconic dishes. Over time, this dish spread to other regions and evolved into a classic in Chinese cuisine.

2.What ingredients are needed?

Pork belly: When making Pork and Pepper Stir-fry, using pork belly with a good balance of fat and lean meat enhances the dish's richness. Personally, I don't prefer pork skin, so I remove it directly. However, friends who enjoy it can leave it on without any issue.

Screw pepper (螺丝椒): It has a bright green color, long cylindrical shape, and near the stem end, there are spiral patterns resembling screws, hence the name screw pepper. Due to its thin skin and thick flesh, it has a moderate spiciness that provides enough heat and aroma. There are many varieties of peppers available, so you can choose based on personal taste preferences and spice level requirements. I personally prefer a bit of spiciness, so I use screw pepper. For friends who cannot tolerate spiciness, green bell peppers can be used as a substitute.

Fermented black beans (豆豉): Fermented black beans are a traditional Chinese seasoning made from soybeans or black beans. They are primarily used for seasoning and can also have medicinal uses. Adding fermented black beans to Pork and Pepper Stir-fry not only enhances the dish's flavor but also contributes to health benefits. They are easy to use—simply rinse them with water before incorporating into dishes. Fermented black beans are commonly found in Asian supermarkets.

3.How to Stir-fry Chili Peppers Deliciously?

To make chili peppers tasty, I've discovered a crucial step: dry-frying them. Once the pan is hot, don't rush to add oil. Instead, directly add the chopped chili peppers to the pan and stir-fry them. Through this cooking process, you gradually remove the moisture from inside the peppers.

4.How to Handle Pork Belly?

Slice the pork belly into thin slices. Heat a suitable amount of oil in a pan until hot, then add the sliced pork belly and stir-fry. Stir-frying the pork belly allows the fat within to render out.

5.What is the Key to Pork and Pepper Stir-fry?

The most crucial aspect of making Pork and Pepper Stir-fry is to cook the ingredients separately before combining them. Chili peppers typically require high-temperature quick frying, while pork needs to be stir-fried over medium heat slowly. Cooking them separately allows better control of the cooking temperature, ensuring each ingredient is cooked to perfection and achieves the best possible flavor and texture.

6.How to Store Pork and Pepper Stir-fry?

If there are leftovers of Pork and Pepper Stir-fry, it's best to place them into a sealed container while still hot and then store them in the refrigerator. It's ideal to consume the stir-fry within two days for the best taste and freshness.

Pork and Pepper Stir-fry, originally a simple farmhouse dish, has gained widespread popularity across the country due to its unique flavor. While its preparation isn't overly complex, achieving the perfect stir-fry requires skill. Below, I'll share the recipe for Pork and Pepper Stir-fry with you all. If you enjoy it, be sure to give it a try—it's very satisfying.