Dish of Pork with Stem Lettuce
(click to enlarge)

Pork with Stem Lettuce (Celtuce)


China - Sichuan
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 w/rice
***
1 hr
Prep		 Marinated pork stir fry with crunchy stem lettuce and spicy sauce. As given, this dish is fairly spicy, so use your own best judgement.

9
1
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1
1/2
1
2
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1
1-1/2
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4
5
1
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1/3
1-1/2
1
1/2
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1
1
3
oz
#
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t
t
T
t
---
oz
T
---
cl

in
---
c
T
t
t
---
t
T
T
Stem Lettuce (1)
Pork, lean (2)
-- Marinade
Potato Starch
Salt
Rice Wine (3)
Water
-- Seasoning
Pickled Chili (4)
Bean Sauce (5)
-- Aromatics
Garlic
Scallions
Ginger
-- Sauce
Stock
Soy Sauce
Black Vinegar (6)  
Sugar
---------
Potato Starch
Water
Oil
Prep   -   (45 minutes)
  1. Cut PORK into cubes about 1/2 inch on a side.
  2. Mix all Marinade Items and massage into the pork. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes, turning once or twice.
  3. Peel Stem Lettuce and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
  4. Chop CHILIS fine and mix with Bean Sauce.
  5. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice SCALLIONS about 1/8 inch thick crosswise, white and green. Slice GINGER very thin and chop fine. Mix.
  6. Mix together all Sauce items
  7. Mix Potato Starch and Water.
Run   -   (15 minutes)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil over high heat and fry Pork until it has completely lost its its raw color, taking care that the fond doesn't get too dark.
  2. Stir in Chili mix until well blended.
  3. Stir in Garlic mix for about 1 minute, then stir in Lettuce. Fry stirring for about 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the Sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer about 4 minutes, scraping fond into the sauce.
  5. Stir up Starch mix and stir in until it thickens the sauce moderately, coating the solids.
  6. Serve hot with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Stem Lettuce:

      Weight is as purchased. 9 ounces should yield at least 6 ounces peeled, but somewhat more is just fine for this recipe. For details see our Stem Lettuce page.

  2. Pork:

      Weight is for boneless pork with all excess fat removed.

  3. Rice Wine:

      Use a good, drinkable Chinese rice wine, not that horrid salted "cooking" version. If you don't have this, use a Dry Sherry. Sake is made from rice but is not considered a good substitute, it's beer, not wine. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.

  4. Pickled Chili:

      This is a standard Sichuan / Hunan ingredient. Available in jars in Asian markets, they are invariably from Thailand, and are not real hot, but 1 ounce makes this dish fairly spicy by Southern California standards, use your own best judgement. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  5. Bean Sauce:

      The bean sauce used in Sichuan is made from broad beans (fava beans) rather than soy beans. The pattern recipe calls for "chili bean sauce", but those pickled chilis may be enough hot for many people. If you can't get broad bean sauce, use a soy bean sauce, it won't be a lot different. I use Lian How brand Hot Broad Bean Sauce (made in Los Angeles).

  6. Black Vinegar:

      This is available from almost any market serving an Asian community. Gold Plum brand is good. For details see our Sours Page.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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