One of the most wonderful things about stir-fries is that they cook quickly. Another is that you can get a lot of the prep work done in advance. It's part of why it's rare for a week to go by without something like this finding its way to my dinner table:
Packed with amazing fresh vegetables, tender pork, and a truly fantastic sauce, this stir-fry only takes about a half hour to make. What's more, if you wish to clean and prep the meat, veggies, and sauce in advance, you can do just that. Then it's a matter of getting them all to the pan in the right order. You might have dinner done in 15-20 minutes in that case! Simply slice the pork and put it in a container in the refrigerator. Clean and cut the vegetables and do the same. Then find a resealable glass bottle or jar and shake all of the sauce ingredients together and be ready to add them to a hot pan later. Presto! Dinner is going to be a snap!
If you have a rice cooker, get it set up to take care of the rice prep before you begin your stir-fry and both will be done at about the same time. Pour some glasses of chilled white wine. If you think you need a side for this dish (hint: you don't), you could toss together a simple cucumber salad or spring rolls. Really though, this combination of ingredients is likely to satisfy you and those sitting around the table in a way that makes side dishes unnecessary. If you're still hungry after finishing a serving, consider second helpings!
Sticky Pork Stir-Fry
- 2 T. canola oil
- 1 lb. thinly sliced lean pork (boneless chops or pork tenderloin work very well)
- 6 sweet mini peppers, seeded and sliced lengthwise into strips
- 6 oz. fresh snow peas, ends & strings removed
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Juice from 1 orange
- 4 T. honey
- 2 T. peanut butter
- 2 T. soy sauce (or tamari, if avoiding gluten)
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet or wok, add the pork strips and fry for 3 - 4 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Remove the pork and set aside.
Add more oil to the wok if necessary and add in the peppers, snow peas, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes until softened, but tender.
Stir in the orange juice, honey, peanut butter, soy sauce (or tamari), and cayenne pepper, bring to the boil and stir to combine.
Return the pork to the pan and mix well. If the sauce thickens too much, add enough water to thin it down. Once the pork has been reheated, serve immediately over rice.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes