Lemongrass Pork Stir-Fry (香茅炒豬肉)

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sweet dark soy sauce
• ½ tbsp distilled rice vinegar

For the lemongrass pork stir-fry

• 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground pork (or use ground chicken, turkey, or beef)
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil (or any other neutral flavored cooking oil)
• 1 red onion (or yellow/white onion/shallots) – thinly sliced
• 2 lemongrass stalks (or substitute with 2 tbsp lemongrass paste) – bottom woody part and upper tough part chopped off, outer layers removed and discarded, then sliced lengthwise through the middle and finely minced
• ¾-inch knob of ginger – peeled and minced (about 1 tbsp minced)
• 10–16 red chilies (bird’s eye preferred, but Holland or any other small chilies will work too), to taste – deseeded if desired, chopped
• 2 large red chilies (optional) – deseeded if desired, thinly sliced at an angle
• 1 medium to large-sized red bell pepper (also known as capsicum, green or yellow bell pepper will work too) – cored and deseeded, thinly sliced, then sliced in half
• 10 garlic cloves – minced
• 4 tsp brown sugar, or more to taste
• 4 tsp corn starch + ½ cup water (mixed together to make a slurry)
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper chili flakes, to taste
• 2–3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
• Toppings: remainder chopped coriander and mint leaves, 1-2 finely chopped red chilies (optional)

Instructions

Prep

1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the red onion, lemongrass, ginger, red chilies, large red chilies, red bell pepper, garlic, coriander, and mint leaves as indicated in the “ingredients” section.
2. Make the sauce: Combine the fish sauce, light soy sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup (the latter makes it easier to pour into the wok). Mix with a spoon to combine, then set aside.
3. Make the corn starch slurry: Combine the corn starch and water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Mix with a spoon until combined and a slurry has formed, then set aside.

For the lemongrass pork stir-fry

1. Cook the ground pork: Heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground pork and start breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon/spatula. Season with kosher salt and cook for 4-5 minutes. Once the pork has cooked through, use a slotted spoon to allow the excess grease/liquid to drip off into the wok and transfer to a clean bowl. Wipe out the wok with a paper towel and set it back on the stovetop. (Note: If using ground chicken, you can skip this step as ground chicken is leaner and won’t have extra fat. Add the ground chicken to the wok in step 3 and cook it through then.)
2. Sauté aromatics and veggies: Heat 2 tbsp canola oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the red onion, lemongrass, ginger, red chilies, and large red chilies. Sauté for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Then add the red bell pepper and garlic and stir-fry for another minute to combine.
3. Add pork back in: Add the ground pork back into the wok and toss to combine with everything else. (Note: If using ground chicken, add it to the wok now and season with kosher salt. Cook for about 2 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up the lumps as you go. Toss to combine with everything else in the wok.)
4. Toss with sugar, sauce, and corn starch slurry: Add the brown sugar and pour in the sauce. Give the corn starch slurry a quick stir with a spoon (the corn starch will have settled at the bottom) and pour it into the wok too. Toss briefly to combine, then simmer for 2-3 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked off.
5. Season: Season with black pepper, crushed red pepper chili flakes, and lime juice to taste and stir-fry to combine.
6. Add herbs: Add in half of the coriander and half of the mint leaves. Give everything a good final toss to combine, then switch off the heat.

To serve

• Serve immediately with warm steamed rice, and garnish with the remainder coriander and mint leaves and extra chopped red chilies if desired