Recipe: Garlic Pepper Pork

This dish was inspired by one of my favorite Thai dishes. While not exactly the same as you’d get in a Thai restaurant, this version is still quite tasty. I add asparagus because I think this dish deserves a vegetable and asparagus absorbs the flavors very nicely and gives it a nice balance. If you have green or pink peppercorns around, reduce amounts of black and white pepper to 1/3 tsp. and add 1/3 tsp. of whole green or pink peppercorns to diversify the flavors further.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs. of boneless pork chops, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 tbsp. of minced ginger
1 tbsp. of low-salt soy sauce
2/3 tsp. of ground black pepper
2/3 tsp. of ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. of dried basil
1/2 tsp. of ground cumin
8 small dried chile peppers (I use dried ancho chiles)
10 oz. of fresh chopped asparagus (see NOTE if you use frozen)
2 tbsp. of hazelnut or almond oil

Directions:

In a large wok, heat the hazelnut oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork to the wok and sautee until the pork is nearly done, about 4 - 6 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients to the wok and continue sauteeing stirring constantly for another 4 - 5 minutes until asparagus is cooked. (NOTE: if using frozen asparagus, you will need to cook another 2 - 3 minutes and add 1/2 tsp. of cornstarch in the last minute to thicken the mixture). Remove from heat and place immediately into a serving dish.

Serves 4.