Spicy & Sweet Stir-fried Pork with Spring Aromas
A Weekend Feast Infused with Spring: Stir-fried Pork with Young Garlic Chives and Mugwort Soup
Let’s welcome the first tastes of spring to our dining table together!
Stir-fried Pork Ingredients- Pork (for bulgogi or shoulder cut) 200g
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 Cheongyang pepper (Korean chili pepper)
- 1 bunch Young garlic chives (approx. 50g)
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Mirin (or Cheongju/rice wine)
- 2 Tbsp Oligodang (corn syrup or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Stir-fried Pork with Young Garlic Chives] First, pat the pork dry with paper towels to remove excess blood. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3 cm). In a bowl, combine the pork, minced garlic, gochujang, mirin, oligodang, sesame oil, and black pepper. Mix well by hand and let it marinate for about 10 minutes. Marinating makes the pork tender and allows the flavors to meld beautifully. 
Step 2
Wash the young garlic chives thoroughly and cut them into lengths of about 5-6 cm. Slice the onion into thin strips. Finely chop the Cheongyang pepper. If you prefer it spicier, you can leave the seeds in.
Step 3
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated pork and stir-fry quickly until it’s almost cooked through. Then, add the sliced onion and chopped Cheongyang pepper, and continue to stir-fry together. Cook until the onions become translucent; this brings out their natural sweetness. (Tip: You can add a little water while stir-frying the pork to prevent it from burning and keep it tender.)
Step 4
Once the pork is fully cooked and the onions are tender, add the prepared young garlic chives. Stir-fry briefly until the chives are just wilted. Be careful not to overcook, as they lose their fresh flavor quickly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for a nutty aroma and serve attractively on a plate.
Step 5
[Mugwort Soup] In a pot, combine anchovies and kelp to make a flavorful broth. Remove the anchovies and kelp, leaving the clear broth. 
Step 6
Bring the clear broth to a boil. Dissolve the doenjang by sifting it through a fine-mesh sieve into the broth. Once the doenjang is well incorporated, add the cleaned clam meat and the perilla seed powder for a rich, nutty flavor. Let it simmer until the clam meat is cooked through.
Step 7
When the soup comes to a boil again, add the fresh mugwort. Mugwort’s delicate aroma fades with prolonged cooking, so add it just before serving and bring it to a quick boil before turning off the heat. Serving this hearty mugwort soup alongside the stir-fried pork creates a truly delightful spring meal.
