Name: Caramelized Pork and Cucumber Stir-Fry
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 large slicing cucumber, peeled in alternating lengthwise strips, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, halves sliced crosswiseon a diagonal ½" thick; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce; 2 Tbsp. soy sauce; 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) or medium-dry sherry; 1 lb. ground pork; 3 Tbsp. grapeseed or vegetable oil, divided; 1 Fresno chile, seeds removed, thinly sliced; 1 1"-piece ginger, peeled, finely grated; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper; Steamed white rice (for serving)

Caramelized pork and cucumber stir fry recipe

Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio

My bottle of Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Flavored Sauce is the security blanket of my condiment cabinet. The glossy Chinese condiment includes sugar, salt, cornstarch, and oyster flavoring (made from reduced oysters) and is anything but subtle. It brings a huge punch of umami-rich, sweet-meets-salty flavor to anything it touches. (And, accordingly, a little bit of the stuff goes a long way.) It’s like four sauces in one. I like to stir some into a stir-fry sauce, as I do here, but on nights when I’m feeling extra-lazy, I simply drizzle a little oyster sauce right out of the bottle over anything from quickly sautéed hearty Asian greens to seared tofu. —Christina Chaey

What you’ll need

Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
Vegetable Peeler
$14 $10 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
$33 At Amazon

Recipe information

Yield
4 Servings

Ingredients

1 large slicing cucumber, peeled in alternating lengthwise strips, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, halves sliced crosswiseon a diagonal ½" thick

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

2 Tbsp. oyster sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) or medium-dry sherry

1 lb. ground pork

3 Tbsp. grapeseed or vegetable oil, divided

1 Fresno chile, seeds removed, thinly sliced

1 1"-piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

½ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper

Steamed white rice (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Toss cucumber slices and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to coat evenly. Let sit until cucumber slices start to release their liquid, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, stir oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine in a small bowl to combine; set aside.
Step 3
Using your hands, form pork into five or six small patties. Season lightly with salt; set aside.
Step 4
Drain cucumber slices in a colander and rinse well under cool running water. Drain, shaking off any excess water, then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Step 5
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook cucumber slices, tossing vigorously, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
Step 6
Wipe out skillet and heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high. Add reserved pork patties; gently flatten with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally to help meat make contact with pan, until deeply browned and crisp underneath, about 4 minutes. Flip patties; cook until other side is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Break up pork into large pieces; continue to cook until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add chile, ginger, garlic, and white pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cucumber back to skillet along with reserved sauce. Cook, tossing often, until sauce is reduced and evenly coats pork and cucumber slices, about 1 minute. Serve stir-fry with rice.