Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Stir-fried Cauliflower with Pork Slices
椰菜花炒肉片
Recipe overview
Stir-fried Cauliflower with Pork Slices is a light Hong Kong home-style stir-fry that goes well with rice. The cauliflower is briefly blanched first, then quickly fried with tender pork slices and a little carrot before being seasoned with a mild oyster sauce mixture. This dish helps helpers learn how to wash cauliflower, pre-cook it, keep it lightly crisp, and avoid overcooking pork. The finished dish should have a little glossy sauce but should not be watery.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower, about 500g
- 250g pork slices
- 1/3 carrot
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 slices ginger
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, A little white pepper, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, A little salt, 4 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, A little sesame oil, , , , , , , , Marinade:
- Stir-fry sauce:
- Slurry:
02
Tools
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Bowls
- Plate
- Measuring spoons
- Small pot
- Nonstick wok or home wok
- Wok spatula
- Slotted spoon
- Kitchen paper
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare ingredients
Prepare cauliflower, pork slices, carrot, garlic, ginger, and all seasonings. Cut everything before heating the wok.
Step 2
Cut cauliflower florets
Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets. Thick stems can be sliced thinly and used too. Keep pieces similar in size.
Step 3
Wash cauliflower
Soak and rinse cauliflower well. The florets can hide dust, so rinse several times.
Step 4
Marinate pork slices
Pat pork slices dry and mix with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch. Add a little oil and marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Cut carrot, garlic, and ginger
Slice carrot thinly, slice garlic, and slice ginger. Carrot is mainly for colour and sweetness, so only a small amount is needed.
Step 6
Mix oyster sauce seasoning
Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, a little salt, and water in a small bowl.
Step 7
Blanch cauliflower
Boil water in a small pot, add a little oil and salt, then blanch cauliflower for about 2 minutes until half cooked.
Step 8
Drain cauliflower
Lift out the cauliflower and drain well. Too much water will make the stir-fry wet.
Step 9
Stir-fry pork slices
Heat oil in the wok and stir-fry pork over medium heat until about 80% cooked. Remove first.
Step 10
Fry garlic, ginger, and carrot
Add a little oil to the wok and fry garlic, ginger, and carrot until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic.
Step 11
Add cauliflower and pork
Add cauliflower and stir-fry briefly, then return pork slices and add the prepared sauce. Toss until evenly seasoned.
Step 12
Thicken and serve
Add a little cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce is lightly thickened. Finish with sesame oil and serve.
Common mistakes
- Cauliflower pieces are uneven and cook at different speeds.
- Cauliflower is not washed well and may contain grit.
- Blanching too long makes cauliflower too soft.
- Skipping cornstarch in the pork marinade makes the meat dry.
- Cooking pork fully at the start makes it tough after returning to the wok.
- Adding too much water or slurry makes the dish watery.
Tips
Blanch cauliflower first but keep it lightly crisp. Stir-fry pork until about 80% cooked, then return it at the end for better tenderness. Keep seasoning mild first and ask Ma'am or Sir to taste before serving. For elderly family members, cauliflower can be cooked slightly softer but not mushy.
