Stir fried pork, chayote, ginger and chilies

I understand that not everyone is a fan of fish sauce. It’s stinky and it can be overhwhelming. But it’s a mainstay in Southeast Asian cooking because of its incomparable taste which is made possible through the process of fermentation. It is a seasoning and a table condiment at the same time.

As with any food item, there’s good, bad and superlative fish sauce. Two months ago in Bangkok, my friend insisted that we MUST go to the grocery of the Emporium Mall because that’s the only place where the best fish sauce was available. She bought a dozen bottles to give to her friends and she’s hosting a dinner party next week (my daughter, Alex, is catering) with a menu designed to make fish sauce the focal point of the meal. That’s how highly we regard fish sauce in Southeast Asia.

So, if you want this stir fry to have a real Southeast Asian flair, don’t ignore fish sauce. And if you’re wondering if some other salty fermented seasoning like soy sauce can be substituted, I’d say do so with caution. Your stir fry will likely taste good but the overall flavor of the dish will be different.

Stir fried pork, chayote, ginger and chilies

Precooked pork is used here which explains why the cook time is a mere 15 minutes. If you don't have cooked pork, you may use thinly sliced pork (sold as bacon cut, samgyeopsal or bulgogi). Just cut each slice into half-inch strips so that the meat cooks fast.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Label: Stir Fry

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 150 grams boiled pork cut into thin strips
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 bird’s eye chilies finely sliced (plus more, optionally, to garnish)
• 2 shallots (or one onion) peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 large chayote peeled and cut into strips about the same size as the pork
• ¼ cup bone broth
• cilantro to garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan.
• Brown the pork in the hot oil.
• Add the garlic, ginger, chilies and shallots.
• Dissolve the palm sugar in the fish sauce and pour over the pork. Saute for a minute.
• Add the chayote and pour in the broth.
• Taste and drizzle in more fish sauce, if needed.
• Bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for about ten minutes or until the chayote strips are done but still firm and definitely not mushy.
• Taste, adjust the seasonings, as needed. Top with snipped cilantro (and more finely sliced bird’s eye chili, if you like) before serving.

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