Japanese Burdock Root and Pork Stir-Fry, a Little Sweet and Savory Combo on the Plate

If a little extra labor work is not a problem for you, I would say 80% of the time try to shave the Japanese burdock root with a knife. And don't worry about uneven thickness. The goal is aiming for the uneven, flat, and wide cutting surface.

That way, you can get the most flavor out of burdock root, and on the other hand, the burdock root slices get to absorb most of seasonings in the dish. Just a bit of muscle work though. If that sounds too troublesome or tiring, simply cut the burdock root into thin sectioned strips instead.

Japanese burdock root and pork stir-fry - 

Ingredients?

• 2 feet/about 60 centimeter long burdock root
• 500 grams pork belly slices
• 1 big garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Some toasted white sesame seeds

Sauce mixture:

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake or Chinese rice wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar

How?

It's up to you if you would like to peel the burdock root or not. I usually do due to texture preference. 

So have a big bowl filled with icy cold water. While shaving down the burdock root or cutting through it, transfer the burdock root to the water. Just let it sit there while prepping other ingredients.

Use semi-fatty pork slices, this will help giving a smoother bite to the woody burdock root in the end. Slice the pork to smaller or shorter pieces if needed. Mix the pork slices with 1 tablespoon of corn starch all around. Peel and grate one big garlic clove.

Premix the sauce by combining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of mirin, 1 tablespoon of sake or Chinese rice wine, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Try to stir a bit to help the sugar dissolve.

When ready to cook, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and switch to medium heat. Add in grated garlic and let it warm up a little. Just a quick moment, otherwise the heat will burn the garlic soon after.

Drain out the water for the burdock root. Further pat dry with paper towel then add to the pan. Switch to medium high heat here since there's no more worries about burning the grated garlic. Stir-fry and cook for couple minutes.

Push burdock root to the side then add in the pork to empty area. Cook till separated and about set. You can also stir-fry a bit to break the pork from sticking to one another.

Pour in the premixed sauce and stir-fry with all the ingredients in the pan. Make sure everything has been coated with the seasonings. Continue to cook till the sauce has been reduced and even appear darker brown on some parts.

Plate and sprinkle some toasted white sesame seeds.

By the way, I got this premium double roasted white sesame seeds from Kuki 九鬼, a prestigious brand from Japan. The easiest way to describe its aroma difference is by comparing to the regular white sesame seeds that we often tasted.

Such as the white sesame seeds from a bun then. Frankly speaking, it basically tasted like nothing. But the double roasted white sesame seeds I've got here, was like 10 times the nutty aroma. More so like a milder version of peanut butter. Highly recommended to give it a try if you ever find one at the supermarket.

Other recipes using burdock root (gobo):

• Kinpira gobo きんぴらごぼう (burdock root cooked in Japanese seasonings)
• Chicken and gobo takikomi gohan (鶏ごぼうの炊き込みご飯)
• Not quite the regular miso soup, it's tonjiru time (豚汁)

Bamboo Shoot and Pork Stir-Fry in Spicy Fermented Bean Paste Seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬

Bamboo shoots are good for you! Not only it's rich in dietary fiber, but also packed with minerals such as copper and potassium. And of course bamboo shoots also come with various vitamins. 

While getting bamboo shoots fresh is your best choice, but note that its distinct sweet taste can disappear quickly after harvesting. So either get the bamboo shoots early in the morning, or simply use the already peeled and boiled sealed-tight version found in the fridge section at the grocery store.

The already-cooked kind can be pricy, but do know that the quality still holds. On top of that, you do get that crunch and sweetness from the packaged version. Usually there's no additives too in these products, just simply boiled bamboo shoots.

Bamboo shoot and pork stir-fry in spicy fermented bean paste seasoning 豆瓣竹筍炒松阪豬 - 

Ingredients?

• 450 grams matsusaka pork
• 500 grams prepared bamboo shoots
• 2 stalks garlic sprouts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 red chilies
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce paste
• 1 tablespoon aged Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon spicy fermented bean paste (ideally from Sichuan Pixian 郫縣)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

How?

If using fresh bamboo shoots, peel away the fibrous layers and trim the end. Slice the bamboo shoots to large pieces while keeping about 1mm thickness.

Destem and section the garlic sprouts. Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Destem and slice diagonally for the red chilies.

Slice the matsusaka pork to large bite size pieces, also keeping the meat at about 1mm thickness. Transfer the pork to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of aged Shaoxing wine, and 2 teaspoons of corn starch. Massage till the seasonings have been evenly blended with the pork. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.

Have a pan or a wok ready, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and switch to medium or medium high heat. Add in garlic sprouts, garlic slices, and red chilies. Stir-fry till aromatic but not burning the garlics.

Add in 1 tablespoon of spicy fermented bean paste and cook till aromatic. The fermented bean paste can further release its flavor once lightly seared with some heat. 

After that, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce paste and cook till blended. It'll be fairly quick here.

Transfer bamboo shoot slices over and give it a quick stir-fry.

Mix in the pork and marinade. Stir-fry till all blended with the sauce, and the consistency turned slightly thickened.

The usual spicy fermented bean paste works, but if you see the one from Sichuan Pixian, do not hesitate and use that instead. It might not be as spicy as the common kinds but the depth of savory and umami note are unbeatable.

On top of that, while it might not be as essential for other type of fermented bean paste, but it is very important to heat up the Sichuan Pixian fermented bean paste during early stage of cooking. It can make a big difference in the final dish, giving much more depth to the savory note.

Other recipes using fermented bean paste:

• Pork and Chinese chives glass noodles 豆瓣韭菜豬肉粉絲
• Braised beef shanks 滷牛腱
• Eggplant and minced pork spaghetti 魚香茄子義大利麵
• Cubed eggplant and ground pork stir-fry with spicy fermented bean paste 炒辣豆瓣醬茄子豬肉丁
• Eggplant and tomato stewed rice 雙茄豬肉燴飯

Beef and King Oyster Mushroom Stir-Fry With Miso Tomato Sauce

Have you ever tried Taiwan yellow cattle? If you get a chance to visit Taiwan, please go seek any restaurant that sell Taiwan yellow cattle. Let it be beef noodles or beef hot pot, you'll be amazed by its distinct beefy aroma that cannot be found nearly anywhere else. Not high-end Japanese wagyu nor USDA prime, only Taiwan's yellow cattle.

That being said, well, as much as I would like Taiwan yellow cattle for this recipe, it's not always an easy find even in Taiwan. Of course you can buy it from local butchers, but Taiwan yellow cattle is such a popular item and usually sold out fast. And I rarely see Taiwan yellow cattle being sold at a fancy supermarket.

Plus, Taiwan yellow cattle can be quite expensive sometime. Definitely costs more compared to USDA choice but still cheaper compared to wagyu. But we're making a stir-fry here, there is no need to bring out the wagyu beef. Just try to use any beef that is on the leaner side but won't turn tough and chewy after cooking.

Beef and king oyster mushroom stir-fry with miso tomato sauce - 

Ingredients?

• 400 grams tender beef
• 230 grams king oyster mushroom
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion
• Some olive oil
• Some salt
• Some black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons yellow miso (not the very dark color kind)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

How?

Destem and slice the tomatoes into wedges. Peel and do the same for onion. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Slice the king oyster mushroom to big bite size chunks.

Slice the beef to big chunks too, which will give you a fuller bite in the end. So make sure to choose tender beef that won't toughen up after cooking. Otherwise that fuller bite will become chewy bite instead. Season and rub the beef with some salt and black pepper.

Bring out a big pan or a wok, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and switch to medium high heat. Once warmed up, add in the beef and sear till some sides colored or even slightly browned. Scoop out first.

Still using the same pan or wok, wipe out excess oil if needed. Continue using medium high heat. This time add in onion and garlic. Sear till slightly browned but not burning the garlic bits.

Add in king oyster mushroom and tomato wedges. Cook till tomato turn slightly smushy or charred on sides.

Add the sauce mixture, which are 2 tablespoons of miso, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Depending on your preference, use 2 tablespoons of ketchup for a sweeter taste.  Mix and cook for one more minute.

Mix back the beef chunks. Stir-fry till evenly blended. Scoop to serving plate and crack some more black pepper on top.

It's a rare find to see beef dishes in my household, especially I'm more leaning towards white meat when planning homemade meals. Usually chicken, fish, and pork are the main protein on our dining table.

So once a long while, it's like a satisfaction boost for Mister, who gets to enjoy biting into that chunky beef. Well, I also tend to include beef in our meals after periods, so it's like a happy meal for Mister and some iron boost for the lady. 

Extended reading:

• Japanese fried tofu pouch and beef udon 日式豆皮牛肉烏龍麵
• Clear stewed beef soup with daikon and corn 無油煙版清燉牛肉湯

Ponzu Flavored Cucumber and Bean Sprouts Stir-Fry

You know with just a bit more money, you can buy the trimmed bean sprouts at the market? I'm sure I've seen it back in the states, and sometimes the vegetable vendors will pick out the tips and charge more when they have idle time tending the stand. 

Unfortunately, I have to do the labor work myself this time. Such a time consuming task, but in order to achieve a more clean-cut bite, this step cannot be skipped. At least one good thing from picking the bean sprouts myself, I can save the tip, not the root, to other dishes, so nothing goes to waste. 

Ponzu flavored cucumber and bean sprouts stir-fry - 

Ingredients?

• 3 loosely packed cups trimmed bean sprouts
• 1 loosely packed cup chopped scallion (try to use the white section first)
• 3 to 4 skinny cucumbers
• 400 grams tender and lean pork 
• 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Some coarse black pepper 

How?

Use tender and lean part of pork. I got a special piece from the shank, otherwise matsusaka pork jowl can be a good substitute. Slice to big bite size pieces and about 1mm thickness.

Trim-off both ends of the bean sprouts. Peel and chop the garlic. Destem and chop the scallion. Aim for the white section of the scallion and we need about 1 loosely packed cup of it. If not enough, mixing some green section is totally fine.

Trim-off the ends of skinny cucumbers then cut into about 2-inch sections. Now here's the fun part, use the side of the knife and smash the cucumber so it'll break into smaller sticks. We want that irregular edge so the sauce can better stay on the cucumber.

Bring out a pan and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Switch to medium heat. Add in chopped scallion and garlic. Also add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse black pepper. Stir-fry till aromatic but not burn the garlic.

Transfer the pork over and cook till about 80% doneness.

Add in the cucumber and stir-fry for one minute. Then add in the bean sprouts, stir-fry for another minute.

Season with 3 tablespoons of ponzu, mix and give it a taste test. Adjust the seasonings if needed. I prefer leaving some sauce so I can scoop that and add to my rice to eat together with. Otherwise you can use high heat and reduce the sauce a bit.

Plate and sprinkle some more coarse black pepper all over.

This is a pretty big portion stir-fry recipe, so do halve all the ingredients used for a "regular" serving instead. 

So what did I do to the tips being picked out? Half of them went to a chopped veggies stir-fry dish, and the other half was used in a fried rice. Me and Mister's meals during that few days were fulled of bean sprouts.

Other bean sprouts recipes:

• Chinese braised noodles with vegetables and pork 青菜豬肉煨麵
• Worcestershire sauce stamina stir-fry with Chinese chives, bean sprouts, and pork belly
• Canned tuna cold dish with bean sprouts and shio kombu
• Bean sprouts cold dish with spicy fermented bean paste 涼拌豆芽

Lotus Root and Pork Belly in Asian Seasonings

Usually I would slice the lotus root so that it'll look like a round-shaped vegetable with some holes throughout. However, this time let's cut the lotus root into thick sticks instead in order to achieve maximum crunchiness in every bite.

Lotus root and pork belly in Asian seasonings - 

Ingredients?

• 1 medium section lotus root
• 370 grams pork belly
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 big stalks scallion
• 6 dried red chilies
• 1 chunk ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons preferred cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce 老抽
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon aged Chinese Shaoxing wine

How?

Rinse and dry the lotus root. After washing away all the dirt on it, the lotus root's true color reveals and I absolutely adore it. The brownish appearance and scattering dark marks might be rustic, but somehow feel so artistic to me.

Peel the lotus root then cut to thick sticks. It might feel funny cutting it since there are holes inside, but just do it till you got like skinny woman's pinky finger sized lotus root.

Prepare a pot of boiling water and add in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Transfer lotus root over and bring to a boil again. Let it cook for two more minutes. Once ready, drain and set aside.

Don't worry if you see some purple color throughout even after cooking the lotus root in vinegary water. It's because of the natural polyphenols in lotus root. When in contact with air, it triggers the oxidation and so the color change.

Cut the pork to medium size chunks with some thickness. Mine was a bit too thick, which might result in harder texture in the end depending on the cut of pork used. I would say keep the pork at about 1 to 2 mm thickness the best. 

Destem and section the scallion. Separate the white and the green parts. Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves. Scrape the skin then chop the ginger, we'll need about 1 tablespoon of prepped ginger for this recipe.

Have a big wok ready and drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of preferred cooking oil. Switch to medium heat, but you can use medium high heat if confident enough. Remember, bigger fire means you have to work your way in the kitchen faster, and you'll get more wok hei as a reward in the end. 

Add in pork and sear till some fats start to render. Once slightly browned, make sure to flip and continue to sear the other side. It might take a few minutes here.

Add in garlics, ginger, white section of the scallion, and 6 dried red chilies. Cook till aromatic but not overly burn the garlics.

Pour in 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of aged Shaoxing wine. Give it a quick mix. Cook for a minute.

Transfer prepped lotus root to the wok. Also add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Mix and cook for couple more minutes.

Add in green section of scallion towards the end. Give it a quick mix and scoop out to serving plate while that nice green color still remains. 

This recipe is quite different than the other lotus root dishes I've made in the past. Not because of the seasonings, but the shape of the lotus root. It is quite crunchy, but not in a way hard to bite. 

Mister is fond it I think, he even asked what those thick sticks were when I first serving him this dish. I guess without the signature thinly sliced shape and holes, lotus root can be hard to identify sometimes. 

Diced Chicken with Preserved Yibin Suimiyacai 雞米芽菜

It might not be as well-known to the western world, but Yibin yacai or suimiyacai is a popular preserved mustard greens in China. Yibin is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan, China. Yacai is the name of the preserved veggies, and suimiyacai simply means the already rinsed and chopped version.

The vegetable needs to go through many steps such as drying, flavoring, and preserving to become a useful flavor booster in many Chinese dishes. You can use it in soup, stir-fry, or steamed meat to add more depth and flavor profile. And about my recipe this time, it's used in diced chicken stir-fry, also one of the classics in Sichuan cuisine, but a bit modification to simplify the process for the common households. 

Diced chicken with preserved Yibin suimiyacai 雞米芽菜 - 

Ingredients?

• 4 tablespoons Yibin suimiyacai
• 440 grams chicken breast
• 100 grams red chilies (the long and not super spicy kind)
• 100 grams green chilies (I also used the long and no so spicy kind)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon scraped and chopped ginger
• 2 tablespoons light-tasting cooking oil

Marinade - 

• 1 tablespoon aged Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn starch 

How?

Destem and chop both the red and green chilies. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Scrape and finely chop the ginger, we'll need about 1 teaspoon of prepped ginger for this recipe.

Thinly sliced the chicken crosswise, then slice to strips, then finally slice to little pieces, like smaller diced chicken. If you follow the classic way of doing it, the chicken needs to cut to the size of rice grains, which explains the Chinese name for this dish 雞米, meaning chicken rice. 雞 means chicken and 米 means rice. Nope, that's a bit too much work for a common housewife, so I settled for chunkier size.

Transfer the chicken to a bowl and add in all the ingredients listed under the "marinade" section. Give it a gentle massage so that the seasonings can fully bond with the meat. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes.

Bring out a pan and drizzle 2 tablespoons of light-tasting cooking oil. Also add in chopped garlic and ginger. Switch to medium heat and cook till aromatic but not burnt.

Add in the chicken and stir-fry till separated. Further stir-fry the meat till dries out a little bit.

Add in suimiyacai, stir-fry till evenly distributed.

Add in all the chilies and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Once checked, plate and serve. 

I like to enjoy this dish with steamed rice, but using it as base for dry noodles is equally appetizing. 

So for the pack of Yibin suimiyacai, I've used about half of it for this recipe. The rest was stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The remaining Yibin suimiyacau was actually added to fried rice about a week later. The amount I used won't heavily alter the flavor of the fried rice, but more so enhance the savory note in the end. Perhaps you can do the same if there're any leftover preserved mustard greens too. 

Zucchini, Corn Kernels, and Ground Pork Stir-Fry

This blog was started back in 2007, and I'm pretty proud of myself still updating it years after. Many recipes were shared here, but to my surprise there's no single similar recipe about zucchini and corn kernels stir-fry, the one dish that I made constantly throughout the years.

Just like a simple leafy greens stir-fry or basic seared steak, perhaps the zucchini stir-fry was too common to me that I totally overlook its recipe potential. Glad that this dish finally caught my attention, and here I present you one of my dinner table regulars.

Zucchini, corn kernels, and ground pork stir-fry - 

Ingredients?

• 1 big zucchini
• 1 medium bundle cilantro
• 1 can/150 grams corn kernels
• 370 grams ground pork
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

How?

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Peel and dice the zucchini. Drain out the liquid for canned corn kernels. Chop the cilantro, about 1 1/2 loosely packed cups in the end.

Bring out a pan and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use medium high heat and add in the garlic. Quickly sear the garlic till aromatic but not burnt. 

Transfer the ground pork over along with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix and cook till the pork has changed to a whiter paler color. 

Add in cubed zucchini and cook for about a minute.

Add in drained corn kernels and chopped cilantro. Mix and cook for one more minute. Taste and adjust if needed. I actually added extra pinch of salt and black pepper here.

This recipe doesn't require much seasonings, basically just let the sweetness of the corn kernels and the aroma of cilantro do their job. The result is light but not boring. I love to serve it with rice, sometimes I'll serve it with dry noodles with additional soy sauce, black vinegar, and chili sauce to mix together.

 

Other recipes using zucchini:

• Caldo de Albóndigas (Mexican meatball soup)
• Sopa de estrellitas

Pickled Chilies and Beef Stir-Fry 剁椒牛肉

I was hoping for a darker-colored stir-fry in the end, but I guess skipping the use of dark soy sauce really has its effect on the final presentation. However, the flavor is still on par with the pretty looking version served at the restaurant. That I can guarantee.

Pickled Chilies and Beef Stir-Fry 剁椒牛肉 - 

Ingredients?

• 400 grams Taiwan yellow beef 
• 2 bell peppers
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons light-tasting cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons pickled chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon aged Shaoxing wine
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

How?

I specifically said Taiwan yellow beef because this breed has a stronger beef aroma. You can substitute it with other type of beef but try to stick with the flavorful kind. 

Slice the beef to smaller pieces and about 1mm thickness. Transfer the beef slices to a bowl and add in all the ingredients listed under the "marinade" section. Give them a gentle massage and marinate for 20 minutes.

Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Destem, remove the pits, and slice the bell peppers.

Use a non-stick pan or a wok, drizzle 2 tablespoons of preferred light-tasting cooking oil then switch to medium heat. Once the oil warms up a little, add in the beef and cook till the meat just turn to pale/white color. Scoop out and leave the oil in the pan.

Still using the same pan, add more oil if not enough to coat the surface. Switch to medium high heat and add in the garlic slices and Sichuan peppercorn. Quickly cook for 30 seconds to release the aroma but not burnt.

Add the pickled chilies along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for another 30 seconds or so.

Add in the bell pepper and cook for one minute.

Lastly, add the cooked beef back and mix till blended. Taste and adjust the flavor if needed. Once ready, plate and serve.

I suppose if I use additional dark soy sauce and perhaps some sugar will help darken the color of this stir-fry dish. If doing so, add these two when cooking the pickled chilies. Let the heat melt down the sugar and cook a bit longer before mixing in the bell pepper. 

Extended reading:

• Sacha bell pepper and beef fried rice 沙茶青椒牛肉炒飯
• Steak stir-fry with colorful bell peppers 黑胡椒風味彩椒骰子牛