Pork Recipes
Fish-Fragrant Pork Strips
This classic Sichuan-style fish-fragrant pork combines tender marinated pork loin with crisp vegetables in a savory, sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce. Despite its name, the dish contains no fish; the signature fish-fragrant flavor comes from a balanced blend of vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, aromatics, and chili bean paste.
- Total
- 20 minutes
Quick Recipe Summary
- Cuisine
- Chinese
- Category
- Pork Recipes
- Method
- Stir-fry
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Main Ingredient
- Pork Loin
About This Recipe
This classic Sichuan-style fish-fragrant pork combines tender marinated pork loin with crisp vegetables in a savory, sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce. Despite its name, the dish contains no fish; the signature fish-fragrant flavor comes from a balanced blend of vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, aromatics, and chili bean paste.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 20 minutes, so it can fit into a busy cooking day.
- Breaks the method into manageable steps instead of assuming you already know the technique.
- Helpful for practicing timing, heat control, and the order of adding ingredients.
- Shows a practical way to cook pork with clear preparation and cooking cues.
- Gives the dish a clear fish-fragrant flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.
Ingredients
- 400 g Pork Loin
- 1/2 Carrot
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper
- 1/3 Red Bell Pepper
- as needed Wood Ear Mushrooms
- 3 tbsp, chopped Scallion
- as needed Ginger
- as needed Garlic
- 1 Egg White
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1 tbsp Pixian Chili Bean Paste
Ingredient Notes
These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.
Pork Loin
Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.
Carrot
Vegetables bring texture and freshness; cut them evenly so they cook or ferment at a similar pace.
reen Bell Pepper
Chilies or peppers add aroma, color, and heat; adjust the amount to fit your table.
Red Bell Pepper
Chilies or peppers add aroma, color, and heat; adjust the amount to fit your table.
Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe
These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.
Sauce
Doubanjiang
Fermented chili bean paste that gives Sichuan dishes savory heat and depth.
Sauce
Shaoxing Wine
Chinese cooking wine used in marinades, stir-fries, braises, and sauces.
Sauce
Oyster Sauce
A savory sauce for glossy stir-fries, vegetables, marinades, and meat dishes.
Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.
Sauce
Black Vinegar
A deep Chinese vinegar for dipping sauces, noodles, braises, and sour-spicy dishes.
Ingredient
Wood Ear Mushroom
A crunchy mushroom used in salads, soups, hot pot, and stir-fries.
Technique
How to Stir Fry Properly
Learn heat control, ingredient order, sauce timing, and quick wok cooking.
Technique
Velveting
A Chinese technique for keeping sliced meat, chicken, shrimp, and beef tender.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the pork loin and pat dry.
Step 2
Wash the carrot, bell peppers, scallion, garlic, and ginger. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until softened.
Step 3
Finely chop the scallion, garlic, and ginger.
Step 4
Cut the pork into thin strips. Add the egg white, cornstarch, and cooking wine. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 5
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, MSG (optional), and a little water to make the fish-fragrant sauce.
Step 6
Slice the carrot, bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms into thin strips.
Step 7
Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion, then stir-fry until fragrant.
Step 8
Add the marinated pork strips and stir-fry until they turn pale and are nearly cooked through.
Step 9
Add the chili bean paste and stir-fry until the oil turns red and fragrant.
Step 10
Add the carrot, wood ear mushrooms, and green bell pepper. Stir-fry until just tender-crisp.
Step 11
Pour in the prepared fish-fragrant sauce and toss everything together until evenly coated.
Step 12
Add the red bell pepper strips and stir-fry briefly.
Step 13
Serve immediately while hot.
Cooking Tips
- Pixian chili bean paste is naturally salty, so adjust additional salt accordingly.
- Marinating the pork with egg white and cornstarch helps keep it tender and juicy.
- Avoid overcooking the vegetables to maintain their crisp texture.
- Leave a little extra sauce in the wok; it pairs perfectly with steamed rice.
- For a more authentic flavor, use Chinese black vinegar instead of regular rice vinegar.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
- Add a light soup or cold vegetable side if the stir-fry is salty, spicy, or saucy.
- Keep rice or noodles ready before cooking because stir-fries are best served immediately.
Recipe Card
This classic Sichuan-style fish-fragrant pork combines tender marinated pork loin with crisp vegetables in a savory, sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce. Despite its name, the dish contains no fish; the signature fish-fragrant flavor comes from a balanced blend of vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, aromatics, and chili bean paste.
Ingredients
- 400 g Pork Loin
- 1/2 Carrot
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper
- 1/3 Red Bell Pepper
- as needed Wood Ear Mushrooms
- 3 tbsp, chopped Scallion
- as needed Ginger
- as needed Garlic
- 1 Egg White
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1 tbsp Pixian Chili Bean Paste
Method
- Rinse the pork loin and pat dry.
- Wash the carrot, bell peppers, scallion, garlic, and ginger. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until softened.
- Finely chop the scallion, garlic, and ginger.
- Cut the pork into thin strips. Add the egg white, cornstarch, and cooking wine. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, MSG (optional), and a little water to make the fish-fragrant sauce.
- Slice the carrot, bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms into thin strips.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion, then stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add the marinated pork strips and stir-fry until they turn pale and are nearly cooked through.
- Add the chili bean paste and stir-fry until the oil turns red and fragrant.
- Add the carrot, wood ear mushrooms, and green bell pepper. Stir-fry until just tender-crisp.
- Pour in the prepared fish-fragrant sauce and toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Add the red bell pepper strips and stir-fry briefly.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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