Pork and Celery Stir Fry
Looking for a quick dish that's both nutritious and delicious? Pork and celery stir-fry is the perfect choice. Learn how to transform simple ingredients into extraordinary flavors.
Is celery a good match for pork?
Celery and pork go together really well. I often use this combination when making home-cooked dishes. Especially when I don't have much appetite on hot days, frying a plate of it goes really well with rice.
The crispy texture of celery stalks can just counteract the greasiness of pork. Remember to gently tap the celery stalks with the back of a knife before cutting them into sections. After the fibers are broken, they will absorb flavors better.
How to select celery?
When selecting celery, first look at the leaves. The leaves of fresh celery are bright green or light yellowish-green, and the edges of the leaves are neither wilted nor curled. If the leaves have turned black or are largely yellow, it means the celery has been stored for too long and has lost a lot of moisture.
Then pinch the stalks. Good celery stalks feel firm and rigid when pinched. When gently broken, they make a crisp cracking sound. If the stalks are soft or have shrunk vertical wrinkles on the surface, such celery is likely to have tough fibers after being stored for a while.
Be careful to avoid particularly thick celery. Celery stalks thicker than a thumb usually have a lot of fibers and are likely to get stuck in your teeth when eaten. Tender celery with medium thickness and straight stalks is more suitable for stir-frying.
Which part of pork is a better choice?
For this dish, pork tenderloin or lean meat from the hind leg is the most suitable. I usually prefer to use pork tenderloin when making stir-fried celery with pork shreds, because its fibers are delicate and it doesn't easily turn tough during a quick stir-fry. However, there are two points to note:
If you choose hind leg meat, remember to cut the meat into shreds against the grain. This way, the stir-fried shreds won't get stuck in your teeth. I once cut a piece of hind leg meat randomly when I was short on time. As a result, the stir-fried pork shreds were like rubber bands, and chewing them made my jaws ache.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·200g celery (washed and cut into sections about 5 cm long)
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·120g lean pork (cut into thin shreds)
Additional Ingredients
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·50g carrot (cut into thin strips)
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·20g white part of scallion (cut into sections)
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·20g ginger (julienned)
Seasonings
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·8g salt
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·5g sugar
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·15ml cooking wine
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·10g cornstarch
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·300ml cooking oil
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·2g pepper
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·5ml cornstarch slurry
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·5ml sesame oil
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Wash and cut 200g of celery into sections about 5 cm long, and cut 120g of lean pork into thin shreds.
Step 2
Cut 50g of carrot into thin strips, 20g of white part of scallion into sections, and julienne 20g of ginger. Arrange them neatly.
Step 3
Put the lean pork shreds in a bowl, pour in 50ml of water, and knead until the meat absorbs the water and becomes moist. Then add 3g of salt, 2g of sugar, and 10ml of cooking wine, and continue to knead evenly.
Step 4
Add 10g of cornstarch and knead again to make the cornstarch evenly coat the pork shreds. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Heat 300ml of cooking oil in a wok. When the oil is slightly smoking, add the marinated pork shreds and quickly stir-fry until they change color. Then remove and set aside.
Step 6
Leave some oil in the wok. Add the scallion sections, shredded ginger, and carrot strips, and stir-fry over high heat until fragrant.
Step 7
Pour in the celery sections and continue to stir-fry until the celery is almost cooked. Season with 5g of salt and 3g of sugar.
Step 8
Add the cooked pork shreds and pour in 5ml of cooking wine. Stir-fry evenly over high heat.
Step 9
Sprinkle 2g of pepper and pour in 5ml of cornstarch slurry. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 10
Drizzle in 5ml of sesame oil, quickly turn off the heat and serve. It smells delicious! Done!
More recipes worth trying
Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans
Chinese Eggplants with Minced Pork
Points to note
Don't be afraid of taking trouble when marinating the pork shreds
Add water to the pork shreds in two or three installments. Each time, knead until your hands feel sticky, and then add the next portion of water. This way, the meat can absorb enough moisture and won't be dry when stir-frying.
Put the meat into the pan only when the oil is smoking
There is an old way to test the oil temperature: insert a chopstick vertically into the oil. If small bubbles immediately appear around the chopstick, it's the right temperature. Pour the pork shreds in at this time. You will hear a sizzling sound. Quickly stir-fry until the color turns pale, then take it out. The pork shreds will be so tender that they can almost burst with juice.
Stir-fry the celery until it's crispy
Keep stirring with a spatula while stir-frying. When the celery changes from grayish-green to shiny and oily, sprinkle salt immediately. At this point, the texture is the crispest. Don't turn off the heat until it wilts. If the pan is too dry, you can add a small spoonful of water along the edge of the pan.
Don't pour all the cornstarch slurry at once
Pour half of the cornstarch slurry first. Stir-fry twice and check the thickness of the sauce. If you feel that the sauce doesn't coat the dishes well, add the rest. After turning off the heat, drizzle in sesame oil. Stir it twice using the remaining heat of the pan. This will make the flavor more evenly distributed than simply mixing directly.
Consumption suggestions
Enjoy while it's hot: Immediately serve with rice or noodles after taking it out of the pan. The sauce with the thin thickening on the pork shreds is perfect for mixing with staple foods. For the refrigerated version, tear some shredded chicken and mix it in to make a cold dish. Pair it with iced oolong tea to relieve greasiness.
Sweet and sour pairing: Place a small plate of pickled cucumbers or candied tomatoes beside it. Alternating bites can refresh your taste buds. Those who love spicy food can sprinkle a little crispy chili or drizzle half a spoonful of spicy oil to instantly change the flavor.
Portable eating methods: Put it into a whole wheat tortilla with a slice of cheese to make a lunch wrap for easy carrying. Stuff the pork shreds into a baguette, spread garlic butter on it and bake for 3 minutes to transform it into a hot sandwich.
How to store leftovers?
For refrigeration, it is recommended to use a fresh-keeping box with a locking strip. Place a piece of kitchen paper at the bottom to absorb moisture. It can be stored for at most one day.
Don't use a microwave when reheating, as it can easily make the pork shreds dry. It is best to use a non-stick pan and add 1 small spoonful of water. Reheat over medium heat while stir-frying to warm it up with steam.
FAQs:
After being cut into thin shreds, the texture of the meat becomes extremely tender and smooth. Paired with celery, it's an excellent combination, allowing the flavors of vegetables and meat to blend perfectly in every bite.
REVIEWS
