Suan Cai Chao Rou Si
酸菜炒肉絲·(suāncài chǎo ròusī)
便當 (Biàndang) - The Taiwanese Bento Box for School and Office
Open a classic Taiwanese lunchbox and you are hit with an earthy, tangy, mouth-watering funk. That is suan cai—fermented mustard greens—working its magic alongside tender slivers of pork. Born from a practical need to keep packed lunches safe in Taiwan's sub-tropical heat before refrigeration, the natural lactic acid preserves the food while cutting straight through the richness of the meat. It is a fast, unpretentious weeknight staple that turns plain steamed white rice into an absolute luxury.
Before you start
Rinse the whole mustard greens under cold water, then soak them in a bowl of fresh room-temperature water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Straight from the bag, suan cai is aggressively salty. Tear off a piece after 15 minutes to test it—it should be tangy and pleasantly salty, not overwhelming. Drain, squeeze out as much water as physically possible with your hands, and chop into fine bits.
Massage the sliced pork in a bowl with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, rice wine, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch until the liquid is absorbed.
Once absorbed, stir in 1 teaspoon of neutral oil to seal the moisture. Let it sit while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Ingredients
- Taiwanese pickled mustard greens1/2 lb
- pork butt or shoulder1/2 lb
- soy sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- Michiu or dry sherry1 tsp
- sugar1/2 tsp
- ground white pepper1/4 tsp
- cornstarch or tapioca starch1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- garlic3 small cloves
- fresh ginger3 slices
- red chili1 small
- scallion1 med
- brown or granulated sugar1 1/2 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tsp
Method
- 01
Dry-fry the chopped mustard greens in an ungreased wok over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Do not add oil. Tossing the greens in a dry pan evaporates trapped water, restores their crunch, and concentrates that fermented aroma. Transfer to a plate once dry and fragrant.
- 02
Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in the wiped-clean wok over medium-high heat and sear the pork.
Spread the pork into a single layer, let it sear undisturbed for 30 seconds, then stir-fry just until opaque. Transfer the pork to the plate with the greens.
- 03
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the garlic, ginger, and chili for 15 seconds until aromatic.
- 04
Return the pork and mustard greens to the pan, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce.
Toss vigorously over high heat for 1 minute until the sugar melts and glazes the meat and greens.
- 05
Remove from the heat, toss in the scallions and toasted sesame oil, and serve immediately over white rice.
Notes
Hunt for vacuum-sealed packets of whole, yellowish-green mustard lobes in the refrigerated aisle of your Asian market.
In America, it is often vaguely labeled as Sour Cabbage or Pickled Mustard Greens. Look for the characters 酸菜 and Product of Taiwan, and skip the chili-heavy Sichuan packets or shredded Northeastern napa cabbage.
Do not flinch at the 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar in the final stir-fry.
Taiwanese cooking uses sugar not to make savory food taste like dessert, but to round off the aggressive, sharp edges of the fermented lactic acid.
Put the pork in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting to make slicing paper-thin matchsticks effortless.