Spicy Chungking Pork

I broke out the wok this week to make this Sichuan dish. This was my first time using pork tenderloin on the wok. As with all of the dishes from Helen Chen's Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, I was not disappointed. Very yummy. This dish only added to my great week!

The Ingredients...

• 3/4 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 pound green cabbage, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife and peeled

 Directions...

1. Slice the tenderloin crosswise 1/8 inch thick. In a  medium bowl, whisk together the wine and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Add the pork and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch in 1/4 cup  water, make sure it is completely dissolved.
2. In another small bowl, stir together the black beans and crushed red pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cabbage; it should sizzle. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2  minutes more. The cabbage may brown slightly. Remove to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same  pan and heat over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until the oil is hot and the ginger and garlic sizzle. Do not brown. Stir up the pork mixture, add to the pan, and cook, stirring briskly, until the pork is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the black bean mixture and stir a few times. Stir up the sauce mixture, and add to the pan, mixing well. Return the vegetables to the pan, stir, then add the cornstarch mixture, and stir for 30 seconds. Remove and discard the ginger and garlic, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: I tend to substitute fresh ginger and garlic cloves for minced ginger and minced garlic. If you buy a jar of minced ginger or garlic, it'll last you awhile. Definitely worth it.