Potato and Pork Stir-fry

This is an easy and humble home-style dish (家常菜) which I totally enjoy with steamed rice (yes, double carbs!). The ingredients are cheap (about S$2) and really basic – one potato, half cup frozen peas, garlic and onion.

More everyday home-style dishes:

It is also nutritious and easy to cook. Even though I name it a “stir-fry”, it is also much like a simple stew whereby the potatoes and pork are simmered for about 10 minutes in the braising sauce. This recipe is really flexible and you can adjust the taste and consistency of the sauce along the way with hot water and seasoning sauces.

STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS

sliced potato
Slice peeled potato to 1/2 cm thickness.

onions
Roughly slice the onion.

marinated pork
Marinade minced pork with seasonings.

stir-frying onions and garlic
Heat oil in pan. Add onions and stir fry until they just start to soften. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.

stirfrying potatoes
Push onions and garlic to side of the wok, then add marinaded minced pork. Stir fry pork until semi-cooked, breaking the meat to smaller bits with your spatula while doing so. Add potato slices and stir fry for two minutes.

Potato and Pork Stir-Fry
Add sauce and seasonings. Stir to coat everything evenly in the sauce, then cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes, adding the thawed vegetables half way through cooking time. Add hot water any time the simmering sauce runs dry. Season to taste and garnish with coriander before serving.

Chinese-style Potato and Pork Recipe

In this recipe, russett potato is used as it is cheap, common, fragrant and fast cooking. If you do not take pork, feel free to substitute with chicken instead.
The potato’s natural starch content thickens the sauce as the stew is cooking, but if you prefer, you can also use cornstarch solution at the end to thicken the sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 80 grams minced pork
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1/2 onion sliced roughly
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 1 russett potato peeled and sliced to 1/2 cm thickness
  • 1/2 cup frozen vegetables (carrot, corn, pea & long bean) thaw before use
  • coriander for garnishing

Marinade (A)

  • 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tbsp corn flour
  • dashes of white pepper

Sauce (B)

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp fish sauce if not using fish sauce, use a bit more light soy sauce or a small pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

  1. Marinade minced pork with (A) for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in pan. Add onions and stir fry until they just start to soften. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
  3. Push onions and garlic to side of the wok, then add marinaded minced pork. Stir fry pork until semi-cooked, breaking the meat to smaller bits with your spatula while doing so.
  4. Add potato slices and stir fry for two minutes. Add (B), stirring to coat everything evenly in the sauce, then cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the thawed vegetables half way through cooking time. Add hot water any time the simmering sauce runs dry. Season to taste and garnish with coriander.