I love Stir Fry.  I love it because it’s fast.  I love it because it’s simple, and I love it because it’s the easiest way I know of to use up anything you happen to have in your fridge or pantry.  You can stir fry just about anything and it’s gonna be good.  Add the right flavorings and whatever it is, it’s gonna be great.  This dish was absolutely fabulous.

Lunch needed to be quick yesterday.  All I knew was that it was going to involve two pork shoulder blade steaks I had in the fridge.  These guys were just begging to be used up before they went bad. I’m ot sure what inspired me to use this particular combination of marinade ingredients, but I’m very glad that I did.  The ork was tender, with a zing of ginger and more than enough flavor to induce a perfectly fed food coma after eating it.

The recipe easily makes enough for 4 to 6 people, especially if you pare it with a few extra sides, like pot stickers or dim sum.  Add in a bit of garlic chicken and you’d have a complete take out feast.

Yield: 4 servings

Pork and Mushroom Stir Fry Recipe

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 pork shoulder blade steaks, bones removed and cut into 1/2-inch strips across the grain.
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce.
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced + 2 large cloves garlic, sliced.
• 2 tsp. ginger, minced.
• 2 tbsp. Hoisin sauce.
• 3 tbsp. sweet chili paste.
• 1 10-oz package button mushrooms, sliced.
• 1 carrot, sliced thin at an angle (on the bias).
• 3 scallions, cut into 1/4 inch pieces, on the bias.
• 1/2 cup frozen bell pepper stir fry mix or approximately 1/2 each red, yellow and green bell peppers, sliced into strips.
• Vegetable or peanut oil for frying
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place pork, soy sauce, first half of garlic, ginger, chili paste and hoisin sauce in a large zip top bag. Seal and massage thoroughly with your hands until completely mixed and all pork is well coated. Refrigerate at least two hours and up to overnight.
2. Gather together the rest of the ingredients and have them ready to go. If using a wok or stir fry pan, place over high heat. If using a large skillet on a gas stove place over medium high heat, on electric go with high and forget using the wok altogether.
3. Pour in approximately 2 tbsp vegetable oil and heat until just smoking. Add pork, including marinade and stir vigorously until just cooked through. Pour contents of wok out into a large bowl. Quickly rinse pan with water and wipe dry with paper towels. (Careful not to burn yourself!)
4. Return pan to heat and add another 2 tbsp. oil. When smoking, add mushrooms. Allow to sit for a few seconds, then begin stirring constnatly, adding oil as necessary until mushrooms just begin to turn golden.
5. Add carrots and stir-fry for approximately 30 seconds. Add garlic and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, add scallions and toss through. Remove from heat, place on a platter (family style) or on serving plates. Top with pork and drizzle with reserved marinade. Serve with rice, noodles or fried won tons.
6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 525Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 2731mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 5gSugar: 14gProtein: 37g

This is a versatile recipe.  If desired, serve this mix over a miso based broth with noodles for a very satisfying soup.  It could also be used as filling for a very nice sandwich or placed in a wrap with some Napa cabbage.  The choices are yours and the variations are endless.

Links to other recipes like this:

• Stir-Fried Pork Tenderloin with Enoki Mushroom, from Delicious Asian Food
• Spicy Mushroom Stir Fry, from Live to Eat
• Stir-fry Fortnight IV – Moist Stir-fry, from Red Cook