Pork belly! That’s about all one needs to write about this recipe, though I’ll expound a little. This is a quick stir-fry that goes well with jasmine rice or fried noodles. If you want to skip the fatty—but utterly delicious—pork belly, you could substitute in an equal amount of pork tenderloin, which is nearly impossible to make tough.
There are really no secrets to making this, other than not overcooking the meat.
What you’ll need
- 2T neutral oil
- 2 lbs. pork belly, cut into one-inch cubes (pork tenderloin would work, too)
- 1.5 oz (40g) palm sugar (any type of dark sugar would actually work)
- 1T honey
- 1T soy sauce (this generally has wheat as an ingredient, though gluten-free is available)
- 2T fish sauce
- 2T rice vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
- Zest of one lime, finely grated with a microplane
- 2T lime juice (preferably from the lime you just microplaned)
- 1 – 2 Thai chilis, seeded and julienned
- A few cilantro sprigs (optional)
- Crispy fried shallots, for serving (optional)
What to do
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and lime juice. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or frypan over high heat. When the wok is heated, add the pork and cook until it’s nearly cooked through—about 10 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and remove the pork to a plate with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
With the wok on medium heat, add the liquid mixture, bringing it to a light boil. Let it reduce until it becomes thick and sticky. Add the cooked pork to the wok, along with the grated lime zest, and thoroughly combine while the pork reheats.
To serve, add the pork to serving bowls and garnish it with cilantro and Thai chilis, with the shallots on the side for sprinkling on just before eating.
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