Spicy Lemongrass Pork Stir-Fry
A fast, fiery pork stir-fry with fragrant lemongrass and a bright squeeze of lime at the end. Serve it over lettuce for crunch and freshness.
- Total
- 15 min
- Prep 7 · Cook 8
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Stir-frying
- Savory
- Quick
- Asian
- Spicy
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Trim the lemongrass, remove the tough outer layers, and slice the tender lower stalk very finely. Finely chop the chili. In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce and the juice of the lime.
~5 min
Slicing lemongrass finely breaks up its fibrous stalk so its citrusy oils release evenly into the dish.
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add the pork mince and press it into a single layer. Let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute, then break it up and stir-fry until no pink remains, about 3 minutes.
~4 min
Searing the pork undisturbed builds a browned crust through the Maillard reaction, deepening the stir-fry's flavor.
Sear the pork without stirring at first: that untouched minute builds the browned crust that gives the stir-fry its depth.
Searing Press pork into a single layer and leave it untouched for a full minute; moving it too early steams the meat and prevents browning.
Stir-frying Keep the wok very hot and keep ingredients moving after the initial sear; overcrowding or low heat makes the pork stew instead of fry.
-
Push the pork to one side, add the lemongrass, chopped chili, and garlic powder to the hot oil, and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Toss everything together.
~1 min
Aromatics need brief contact with hot oil to bloom their volatile oils without scorching and turning bitter.
Stir-frying Keep the wok very hot and keep ingredients moving after the initial sear; overcrowding or low heat makes the pork stew instead of fry.
-
Pour in the fish sauce and lime juice mixture and toss for 1 minute until the pork is glossy and coated. Season with the black pepper.
~1 min
Adding the sauce at the end lets its flavors stay bright and coats the pork without reducing to a dull saltiness.
Add the lime juice off the heat if you can, its brightness fades when cooked hard.
Stir-frying Keep the wok very hot and keep ingredients moving after the initial sear; overcrowding or low heat makes the pork stew instead of fry.
-
Spoon the pork over the lettuce leaves and serve right away while hot.
~1 min