Cantonese style salt and pepper pork is a popular dish in Chinese cuisine, known for its crispy texture and bold flavors.
This recipe also appears in the Frugal Gastronomy “Summer of Love” Cookbook, in print alongside 19 more.
Cantonese Style Salt and Pepper Pork
Crispy fried pork tossed with garlic, chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns for a bold, aromatic Cantonese-style dish.
Equipment
- Wok or deep frying pan
Ingredients
Marinating:
- 1 lb pork shoulder cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder optional
Coating:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- Vegetable oil for frying
Tossing mixture and Garnish:
- 1 green long hot sliced
- 2 fresh red chilies sliced
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white peppercorn
Instructions
Prepare the Pork:
- Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
Season the Pork:
- In a bowl, mix the pork, cornstarch, Chinese cooking wine, water, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, and Chinese five-spice powder if using. Let marinate 10 minutes.
- Add the beaten egg, flours, salt, and water to the mixture and toss to coat the pork pieces. The egg helps the flour mixture stick to the pork and creates a crispy coating.
Fry:
- Heat about 1-2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of pork into the oil. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
- Carefully add the garlic slices for about 30 seconds or until golden color. Remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Set aside.
- Carefully add the coated pork pieces to the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per batch.
- Remove the fried pork and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Prepare the Seasoning:
- In a separate pan or wok, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat.
- Add the Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper, salt, sliced long hot and chilies, and the fried garlic slices. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, but be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the fried pork pieces to the pan, tossing to coat them evenly with the seasonings.
- Add the chopped green onions and stir-fry for another minute until everything is well combined.
Serve:
- Transfer the salt and pepper pork to a serving plate and serve hot. It pairs well with steamed rice or as an appetizer.
Notes
- Sichuan Peppercorns: These provide a unique numbing heat to the dish. If you don’t have them, you can use regular black pepper, but the flavor won’t be as distinctive.
- Adjust Spice Level: If you prefer a spicier dish, you can increase the number of chilies or add a bit of chili paste or hot sauce.
- Optional Garnish: You can sprinkle some additional salt on top before serving for an extra burst of flavor.
