Cantonese style salt and pepper pork is a popular dish in Chinese cuisine, known for its crispy texture and bold flavors.
Ingredients:
Marinating
1 lb pork shoulder, cut into small bite-sized pieces (about 1/3” by 2” strips)
2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing cooking wine
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional, for extra flavor)
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 & Garnish
1 green long hot, sliced
2 fresh red chilies, sliced(or more for heat)
3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (or regular black peppercorns for a milder flavor)
1 tablespoon chopped green onions (scallions)
1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly grind white peppercorn
Directions:
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, 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 second or until golden color. Remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Set aside.
Return to the old and 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 (or black pepper), white pepper, salt, slice long hot/chilies, and the fried garlic slices. Stir-fry for about 1 minutes 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.
