It’s been really cold day in NY and I was in the mood for some spice. This is my adaptation of a popular Korean pork stir-fry. It comes together in under 15 minutes and uses just one pan. Also, you only need to use 1 tablespoon to measure all the seasonings!

Ingredients

• 1 pound/ 450 g pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces – I used 6 mm thick pre-sliced pork belly from an Asian supermarket
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (hot pepper paste)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru (or hot pepper flakes)
• A pinch of black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~5 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (~20 g)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 scallions/ spring onions, sliced
• A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds (just before serving)

Method

1. Mince or use a mini food processor to chop up the garlic and ginger (If not making in bulk, its 5 garlic cloves and 30g of sliced ginger)
2. Slice the pork belly, onion & scallions and set aside
3. Heat up your skillet, fry pan or wok (no need for oil)
4. Place the pork belly and give it a quick sear
5. Add all the seasonings (gochujang, soy, sugar, pepper, gochugaru and sesame oil) then toss or stir to make sure the pork slices are well coated
6. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and green onions. 
7. Cook until the pork is cooked and the onions are soft (about 5-8 minutes depending on how thick the pork and onion is sliced)
8. Once done, transfer to a plate and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

What I love about this recipe

• It’s versatile: if you don’t have belly pork, use sliced chicken, sliced pork loin or even shrimp. You can also throw in sliced vegetables like capsicum (sweet peppers) or mushrooms.
• It’s got gochujang: one of my pantry staples these days. It is a sweet/ spicy/ savory fermented bean paste that gives any dish a burst of flavour.
• It’s spicy but not too spicy: you can tailor to your spice tolerance. Skip the chilli flakes whilst cooking and allow people to add them when they eat.
• It’s got the wow factor (for minimal effort): if you’ve got friends who enjoy some spice, this dish is a crowd pleaser.
• It’s even better the next day: great for meal prepping.

Cooking Tips & Nutrition Hacks

To save on washing up, I use a skillet that doubles as a serving dish. The one in the photos is the Le Creuset 11″ Signature Cast Iron Everyday Pan. It doesn’t come with a lid. I bought separately the Le Creuset 11″ Signature Glass Lid with Stainless Steel Knob. For moving the pan from the stove to the table, I have the Le Creuset Magnetic Wooden Trivet. It sticks magnetically under the pan. This protects your table from the heat.

Pork belly can be quite fatty, so this dish does not need extra oil for stir frying. Just make sure the pan is hot so the pork doesn’t stick to the pan. If you are using a leaner cut of meat, you could brush some oil on the pan.

To give the meal a nutrition boost, I serve it with mixed grains. I like to cook red rice, brown rice, and barley together. I also throw in a handful of soaked black beans for added fiber and protein. I also made a huge broccoli banchan (Korean side dish). Just steam/microwave/ scald 1 pound/ 450 g of broccoli heads for 7 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes, 1 tsp minced garlic and a pinch of pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Credits:

The stir fried pork is adapted from this recipe by my favourite Korean recipe site Maangchi. The broccoli banchan is adapted from hipfoodiemum.