Hunan Fried Pork
Hunan small stir-fried pork is a classic home-style dish featuring thinly sliced pork belly quickly stir-fried with fermented chilies, garlic, and green peppers. Simple yet explosively flavorful.
Ingredients
- Pork belly 200 g
- Green bell pepper 3 pcs
- Fermented black beans 1 tbsp
- Garlic 3 clove
- Soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Scallions and ginger to taste
Instructions
- 1. Wash and cut the Hunan stir-fried pork, marinate with salt and cooking wine for 10 minutes
- 2. Coat with dry starch or batter
- 3. Pour enough oil into the pot and heat until 60% hot
- 4. Add Hunan stir-fried pork piece by piece and fry over medium heat until golden brown and take out.
- 5. Increase the oil temperature to 80% and fry again for 30 seconds until crispy.
- 6. Remove and drain the oil, then serve on a plate
Cultural Notes
Xiao Chao Rou is the quintessential Hunan home dish — the dish that every Hunan mother knows how to make and that every Hunan person craves when away from home. It exemplifies Hunan stir-fry philosophy: high heat, bold flavors, and minimal ingredients. The fermented chilies (duojiao) are the soul of the dish, providing both heat and a tangy umami depth. Despite its simplicity, achieving the perfect wok hei (breath of the wok) and the right balance of textures requires skill and practice.