Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce

Sooooo good. Tasted and looked like a restaurant dish. And it was really easy to make. Very healthy I think too. Just go easy on the oil.

Cut pork into same-size strips and let it marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same size pieces. To prevent little crumbles of broccoli, cut through the stem and them pull the heads apart. (I don't remember where I learned that trick, but I love it!)

Don't forget to pre-heat the wok before adding the oil. (Don't you just love the looks of my new wok?)

Add the peanut oil and let it heat until it looks shimmery, then add the garlic and ginger and cook about 30 seconds to "season the oil." It's important to remove all this before it gets brown or it can make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli to the hot wok and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often. (Some Asian cookbooks say to use a bit of water and put the lid on the wok to steam the vegetables, but I like to keep them more crispy.)

Remove broccoli to a plate, add a tiny bit more oil and then add pork with marinating liquid and cook 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned.

If you're using fresh minced ginger and garlic, add it and cook about 1 minute before adding the rest of the sauce. If you're lazy like me and use garlic and ginger puree from a jar, it can be stirred into the sauce. Cook vegetables with the sauce for only about 1-2 minutes more so the broccoli stays crisp.

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce
(Makes about 3-4 servings, recipe slightly adapted from The Sugar Solution Cookbook.)

1 lb. pork tenderloin (2 boneless pork loin chops were perfect)
2 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 T cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
4 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into same size pieces
1-2 T peanut oil (depending on your pan)
4-5 slices fresh ginger root
4-5 sliced garlic cloves

sauce:
2 tsp. ginger puree (also called ground ginger, or use finely minced fresh ginger root)
2 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic, or use finely minced garlic cloves)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 T Hoisin sauce *see below for homemade recipe if you don't have sauce on hand
pinch of red pepper flakes or a few shakes or Sriracha sauce

Trim all visible fat from pork chops and cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2-3 inches long. Combine soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch in bowl and add the pork strips. Stir to coat pork and let marinate while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same-sized flowerets, keeping a few inches of stem on the pieces. If using ginger and garlic puree, combine with chicken stock, Hoisin sauce, and hot sauce or pepper flakes. (If using freshly minced ginger and garlic, keep them out of the sauce so they can have a minute or so of extra cooking time.)

Have all ingredients ready and turner and serving plate ready before you begin to stir-fry.

Heat wok over high flame or hot burner about 1 minute, until it feels hot if you put your hand over the wok. Add 1 T peanut oil and heat until the oil looks shimmery, then add garlic and ginger root slices and cook 30 seconds to one minute, just until you start to smell the garlic and ginger. Be careful to remove every bit of ginger and garlic or it will make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli and stir-fry, stirring often, for about 3 minutes, or until broccoli turns bright green and is barely getting tender. Remove broccoli to a plate. Add a bit more oil if needed, heat about 30 seconds, then add pork and marinating liquid. Stir-fry pork about 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned. (If using freshly minced garlic and ginger, add now and cook about 1 minute.) Add broccoli and sauce and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring until meat and vegetables are coated with sauce and sauce is slightly thickened. (There will not be a huge amount of sauce.) Serve hot.

*Homemade Hoisin Sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons black bean paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 drops hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper