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.