Family Recipe 51 - Scallion Exploding Pork

Ingredients: Pork tenderloin (pork hind leg tendon), scallions, garlic, chili peppers, white pepper powder, rice wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, potato starch Instructions: 1. Slice the pork tenderloin into bite-sized pieces. Marinate with white pepper powder, rice wine, and soy sauce. Cut the scallions into sections, separating the white and green parts (it's best to choose thick, juicy scallions when buying them). Smash or slice the garlic, and diagonally slice the chili peppers. 2. After marinating the pork for about ten minutes, add water and mix. This is called 'hydrating' and increases the moisture within the meat slices, making them more tender. Then, add a small amount of potato starch and mix well. Finally, add a little oil and mix (the oil forms a protective film, making it easier to separate the meat slices later, preventing them from absorbing too much oil, and reducing moisture loss). 3. Heat a wok with plenty of oil. Briefly stir-fry the pork slices until the surface changes color, then remove and set aside. It's best to use a slotted spoon to drain the oil. 4. Wash the wok clean and heat it again. You can use the drained oil. On low heat, sauté the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and chili peppers until fragrant. Once the white parts of the scallions are slightly charred, add the pork slices. Pour rice wine around the edge of the wok to deglaze, add oyster sauce, and stir-fry evenly. Finally, add the green parts of the scallions and stir-fry until cooked. You can substitute beef for pork to make Scallion Exploding Beef. This dish uses quite a bit of oil, but the drained oil can be used for other dishes, so it's not wasted. It's recommended not to add salt, as it can toughen the meat and make it too salty. Additionally, you can add onions or dried tofu to increase the volume and avoid flavor clashes. Onions can also add a slight sweetness, making the dish smoother. Add the onions at the same time as the white parts of the scallions.