Cherry & Dennis Recipes

Stir-fried Pork Slices with Cucumber and Wood Ear

Name: Stir-fried Pork Slices with Cucumber and Wood Ear
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 250g pork slices; 2 cucumbers; 8g dried wood ear mushrooms; 1/3 carrot; 3 garlic cloves; 2 slices ginger; 2 tbsp cooking oil; 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sugar, a little white pepper, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp cooking oil Pork marinade:; 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sugar, a little salt, 3 tbsp water Stir-fry sauce:; 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water; finish with a little sesame oil Cornstarch slurry:

青瓜雲耳炒肉片

Stir-fried Pork Slices with Cucumber and Wood Ear — finished dish

Total time: 25 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

This is a light and quick Hong Kong home stir-fry. Thick cucumber slices stay crisp, wood ear mushrooms add a gentle bounce, and thin pork slices cook quickly after simple marinating. It helps helpers practise slicing pork, cleaning dried wood ear mushrooms, and controlling heat for a fast stir-fry.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

250g pork slices
2 cucumbers
8g dried wood ear mushrooms
1/3 carrot
3 garlic cloves
2 slices ginger
2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sugar, a little white pepper, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp cooking oil Pork marinade:
1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sugar, a little salt, 3 tbsp water Stir-fry sauce:
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water; finish with a little sesame oil Cornstarch slurry:

Stir-fried Pork Slices with Cucumber and Wood Ear — ingredients

Tools

Chopping board
Knife
Bowls
Plate
Measuring spoons
Non-stick wok or home wok
Wok spatula
Slotted spoon
Kitchen paper

Steps

Step 1

Prepare ingredients

Prepare pork slices, cucumber, dried wood ear, carrot, garlic, ginger, and all seasonings before turning on the heat.

Step 2

Soak and clean wood ear

Soak dried wood ear mushrooms until soft, trim hard stems, and rinse several times to remove sand.

Step 3

Marinate pork slices

Pat pork dry, mix with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and starch, then add a little oil.

Step 4

Slice cucumber

Wash cucumber, remove the ends, and cut into thick diagonal slices so it stays crisp.

Step 5

Cut carrot, garlic, and ginger

Slice carrot thinly, slice garlic, and slice ginger for colour, aroma, and light sweetness.

Step 6

Mix stir-fry sauce

Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, a little salt, and water in a small bowl.

Step 7

Stir-fry pork slices

Heat oil and stir-fry pork over medium heat until about 80 percent cooked, then set aside.

Step 8

Fry garlic and ginger

Add a little oil and fry garlic and ginger until fragrant without burning.

Step 9

Add wood ear and carrot

Add wood ear mushrooms and carrot, then stir-fry for one minute.

Step 10

Add cucumber

Add cucumber and stir-fry quickly until bright green but still crisp.

Step 11

Return pork and add sauce

Return pork to the wok, add the prepared sauce, and toss quickly.

Step 12

Thicken and serve

Add a little starch slurry, cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, finish with sesame oil, and serve.

Common mistakes

Wood ear mushrooms are not washed well and taste sandy.
Cucumber is sliced too thin and becomes soft.
Pork is not marinated with starch and becomes dry.
Pork is fully cooked at the start and becomes tough after returning to the wok.
Too much water makes the dish watery.
Garlic is fried over high heat and turns bitter.

Tips

Prepare all ingredients before turning on the heat. Cook the pork until about 80 percent done first, then return it at the end so it stays tender. Keep the seasoning light and ask Ma’am or Sir to taste before serving.