Chili and Zucchini Stir-fried Pork is a classic, quick home-style dish. The zucchini is crisp and sweet, the pork slices are tender and savory, and the chilies add a mild kick. The zucchini is salted first to draw out excess moisture before stir-frying. Stir-fried over high heat for that “wok hei” flavor—savory with a natural sweetness. Perfect with steamed rice or noodles.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 1 zucchini (tender, with smooth skin and firm to the touch)
· 150g lean pork (tenderloin or front leg, thinly sliced)
· 2-3 green chilies (thin-skinned ones for better flavor)
· 1-2 red chilies (for color)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4-5 cloves minced garlic
· A small piece of minced ginger
· 1 stalk scallion (chopped, for garnish)
🌴 Seasonings:
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce (1 tbsp for marinating, 1 tbsp for stir-frying)
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 tbsp cooking wine (for marinating)
· 1 tsp cornstarch (for marinating, locks in moisture)
· A pinch of sugar (to enhance flavor)
· A few drops of Chinkiang vinegar (drizzled at the end for aroma)
· A pinch of white pepper powder
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Marinate the Pork
Slice the pork thinly against the grain. Add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, cooking wine, and cornstarch. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes. ⚠️ Note: Cutting against the grain is key; cutting with the grain makes it tough. - Prepare the Zucchini
Wash the zucchini, cut it in half, and if the core is mature, scoop out the seeds. Slice thinly. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, mix well, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water. ⚠️ Note: Salting and squeezing the zucchini is key to keeping it crisp and preventing it from releasing water. Removing the seeds also helps. - Prepare the Chilies
Remove the stems and seeds from the green and red chilies, and cut them into chunks or diagonal slices. ⚠️ Note: Don’t rinse them after cutting, or you’ll lose the aroma. - Stir-fry the Pork
Heat oil in a pan, add the marinated pork, and stir-fry over high heat until it changes color. ⚠️ Note: Remove the pork as soon as it changes color. - Combine and Stir-fry
Add the minced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant. Turn to high heat, add the squeezed zucchini, and stir-fry quickly for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Stir-fry until combined. Add the green and red chilies and stir-fry over high heat for another 30 seconds. ⚠️ Note: Keep the heat high to keep the zucchini crisp. Cook the chilies until just tender. - Season and Serve
Sprinkle with white pepper and add salt to taste. Drizzle a few drops of vinegar around the edge of the pan and stir-fry quickly. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with scallion, and serve hot. ⚠️ Note: Add the vinegar at the very end for aroma and to cut the richness. Add salt at the very end so the vegetables don’t release water.
💡 More Delicious Recipes:
If you enjoy this quick and savory stir-fry, you should also try my [Stir-fried Minced Pork with Crispy Cucumber] for another crisp and refreshing dish, or my [Beef and Broccoli] for a classic, healthy favorite.
Want to explore more easy-to-make dishes? Check out my full [Home-style Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
Slice the pork against the grain and marinate with light soy sauce, cooking wine, and cornstarch for tenderness. Salt the zucchini and squeeze out the water before stir-frying—this is the key to keeping it crisp. Remove the seeds from mature zucchini to prevent excess moisture. Keep the heat high to keep the zucchini crisp. Drizzle a few drops of vinegar at the end for aroma and balance. Add salt at the very end so the ingredients don’t release water.
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