Spicy & Sweet Stir-fried Pork with Abundant Scallions
Baek Jong-won Style! Golden Recipe for Stir-fried Pork with Scallions (feat. Pork Belly & Soju Snack)
A magical stir-fried pork dish that becomes a rice thief when loaded with fragrant scallions! Experience the fantastic combination of spicy-sweet sauce that makes you crave soju, and flavorful pork belly.
Main Ingredients- Pork belly 300g (or pork shoulder, pork leg)
- Whole garlic cloves 8
- Cheongyang chili peppers 3
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Water 1/3 cup
Seasoning- Soy sauce 3 Tbsp
- Sugar 1.5 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
- Coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds to taste
- Soy sauce 3 Tbsp
- Sugar 1.5 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
- Coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the vegetables. Wash the 2 scallions and cut them into 5cm lengths. Don’t be shy with the scallions; using plenty will enhance the fragrant flavor and satisfying crunch. Feel free to add more if you love them!
Step 2
Chop the Cheongyang chili peppers roughly after removing the seeds for a spicy kick. Slice the whole garlic cloves thickly. If you don’t have whole garlic, minced garlic is an acceptable substitute, but sliced garlic will provide a more aromatic flavor.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the meat. If using 300g of pork belly, cut it into bite-sized pieces. While this recipe calls for pork belly, thinly sliced pork shoulder or leg from the freezer works wonderfully too. Remember, stir-fried pork is most delicious when it has a good amount of fat, so avoid cuts that are completely lean.
Step 4
Lay the pork belly flat in the pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until golden brown. The key to this dish is to first sear the meat until it’s nicely browned, rather than marinating it or cooking it with the sauce from the start.
Step 5
Once the pork belly is golden brown, add the sliced garlic and stir-fry together. If there’s excessive fat rendered from the pork, you can carefully wipe some away or pour it out. However, leaving a little bit of fat will make the meat more moist and flavorful.
Step 6
When the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, add the sugar and stir-fry with the meat and garlic. The sugar will melt, coating everything with a subtle sweetness.
Step 7
Increase the heat slightly. Pour the soy sauce around the edges of the pan and let it sizzle and caramelize. This step creates a wonderful ‘wok hei’ or smoky flavor. Be cautious as the soy sauce can splatter.
Step 8
Add the prepared scallions and Cheongyang chili peppers to the pan. Their fresh aroma and spiciness will add another layer of complexity to the dish.
Step 9
Now, add both the coarse and fine gochugaru. You can adjust the amount of chili flakes to your preference. (Tip: If you only have one type of gochugaru, using just that one will still result in a delicious dish.)
Step 10
When stir-frying the gochugaru, the sauce might become thick or seem to separate. Adding a small amount of water (about 1/3 cup) will help the sauce coat the ingredients evenly and create a moist stir-fry.
Step 11
Just before the scallions soften completely, sprinkle in some black pepper and drizzle with sesame oil. Toss everything together lightly to combine these final flavor enhancers. Your delicious stir-fried pork is almost ready!
Step 12
Serve this delicious stir-fried pork over a bowl of hot rice for a hearty meal, or wrap it up with fresh lettuce and other ssam vegetables for an even more satisfying experience! Adding ssamjang or more garlic is also a great idea.
Step 13
Pork belly offers a rich, savory taste, but thinly sliced pork shoulder or leg makes the meat tender and easier to eat, resulting in a lighter dish. Either way, it’s a guaranteed success! Using plenty of scallions not only masks any potential porky smell but also adds a natural sweetness, making the dish incredibly clean and delicious. This is truly the ultimate side dish or snack that will have you reaching for a bottle of soju!
