Stir-fried pork with snow peas and ginger

After several days of Western-style cuisine, we were all in need of an Oriental fix. Stir-fries are permanently on our menu at home but it wasn't until about a month ago that I found this easy recipe from Mark Bittman's kitchen bible How to Cook Everything and found our new favorite.

The original recipe is for a stir-fried pork with spinach but there are several variations of the same thing listed and one of them was this one using snow peas. I use flat beans as snow peas or snap peas are very difficult to come by here. It's the perfect delicious one-plate meal that is easy to make and have on the table in half an hour.


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Stir-Fried Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger

(from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

• 1 pound (about half a kilo) pork tenderloin, fresh ham, loin or shoulder trimmed of external fat (Here I use a pork cut called "presa Iberico" from the black-hoofed mountain pigs of Spain)
• 2 cups of snow peas or snap peas
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger (plus 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger)
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or other vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 cup minced scallion or 1/4 cup minced chives for garnish
  


• Slice the pork as thinly as you can (it's easier if you freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes first). Cut the slices into bite-size pieces, about the size of a quarter.


• Trim the snow peas and set aside.


• When you're ready to cook, have all the ingredients ready, including a serving dish and rice, if any. Preheat a wok or a large, heavy skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke.


• Immediately add half the peanut oil and the the pork. Cook, stirring occasionally (NOT constantly), until the pork browns and loses all traces of pinkness, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a bowl and lower the heat to medium.


• Add the remaining peanut oil to the wok. Swirl it around and add the garlic and the 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger, then add the snow peas stirring over medium-high heat until they soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.


• Add the pork and stir-fry for one minute. Add the soy sauce, lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon ginger.


• Garnish and serve immediately with steamed rice or with cooked noodles tossed in a hot pan with sesame oil, minced scallions and cilantro as shown in the photo on top .

(Serves 4)