Stir-Fried Pork with Spinach

This recipe is a quick and flavorful stir-fry featuring tender pork and vibrant greens. It’s a versatile dish that allows you to use different ingredients and variations to suit your taste preferences. The cooking process is fast-paced, so it’s important to have all your ingredients prepared and side dishes ready beforehand.

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: About 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound pork, preferably shoulder, trimmed of external fat
• About 1 pound spinach, trimmed of thick stems and well washed
• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup stock or water (optional)
• 1/2 cup minced scallion or 1/4 cup minced chives for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slice the pork as thinly as possible. For easier slicing, you can freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes beforehand. Cut the slices into bite-sized pieces, approximately the size of a quarter.
2. Coarsely chop or tear the spinach.
3. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add half of the oil and all the pork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork browns and loses its pinkness, approximately 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a bowl and reduce the heat to medium.
4. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and swirl it around. Add the minced garlic and stir it once or twice. Once the garlic begins to color (about 15 seconds), increase the heat to high and add the spinach. Stir frequently until the spinach wilts, which should take a minute or two longer.
5. Return the cooked pork to the skillet and stir for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and lime juice, stir well, and then turn off the heat. Taste the dish and add more soy sauce if desired. If the mixture appears drier than you prefer, you can add stock or water and heat it through.
6. Garnish the stir-fry with minced scallion or chives.
7. Serve immediately, accompanied by cooked rice if desired.

VARIATIONS:

Here are a few variations you can try with this stir-fry recipe:

• Stir-Fried Pork with Asparagus: Substitute 2 cups of chopped pencil-thin asparagus for the spinach. Add 3 or 4 small dried hot red chiles along with the pork if desired. In Step 3, cook the asparagus until it turns bright green and becomes tender, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Then add 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger and 1/2 cup chopped scallion. Proceed with the recipe, replacing the lime juice with 1/4 cup chicken stock and omitting the garnish.

• Stir-Fried Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger: Replace the spinach with 2 cups of trimmed snow peas or snap peas. In Step 3, cook 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger with the garlic, then add the snow peas and cook until they soften and start to brown, about 5 minutes. In Step 4, add 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger along with the soy sauce and lime juice.

• Stir-Fried Pork with Hoisin and Sesame Oil: Follow Steps 1 to 3 of the master recipe or any variations. In Step 4, stir in 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce along with the soy sauce, and omit the lime juice. Before serving, drizzle with 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil.

• Stir-Fried Pork with Sweet Onions: Replace the spinach with 3 cups of thinly sliced onion. In Step 3, cook the onion with the garlic, stirring until it softens and begins to brown, which should take around 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar, then continue with the recipe as usual.

• Stir-Fried Pork in Garlic Sauce: Omit the spinach. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 or 3 small hot dried red chiles, and 1 bunch of scallions (trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, separating the white and green parts). In Step 2, add the chiles and garlic to the hot oil first, cooking and stirring for a minute before adding the pork. Proceed with the recipe, adding the scallion whites and finishing as described in Step 4.

These variations add different flavors and ingredients to the basic stir-fried pork recipe, allowing you to explore new taste combinations.

10 SIMPLE ADDITIONS TO PORK STIR-FRIES:

Here are some additional ideas to enhance your pork stir-fries:

• Add 1/4 teaspoon or more of hot red pepper flakes along with the garlic.
• Include a combination of raw vegetables, cut into small pieces, and cook them with the garlic.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar onto the pork as it cooks for added color, crispness, and sweetness.
• Add 2 tablespoons of whole or chopped peanuts or cashews along with the vegetables.
• Incorporate five-spice or curry powder along with the pork to introduce aromatic flavors.
• Pour in 1/2 cup of coconut milk towards the end of cooking to add a creamy texture.
• Use 1 teaspoon of ground spices, such as Sichuan peppercorns, with the garlic.
• Marinate the pork in a mixture of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water or wine, and 1 teaspoon of vinegar before stir-frying.
• Substitute nam pla (Thai fish sauce) for soy sauce to impart a different savory taste.
• Add approximately 1 tablespoon of ground bean paste, plum sauce, or 1/2 teaspoon of Chile-Garlic Paste during the last minute of cooking to introduce unique flavors.

These additions allow you to experiment with different seasonings and spices to customize your stir-fried pork dish.