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Hakka stir-fry
Pork, squid and tofu stir-fry
Hak-kâ sió-tshá (客家小炒): pork belly, dried squid, pressed tofu and celery tossed with soy and chilli
TaiwaneseEvery Hakka restaurant in Miaoli and Hsinchu puts this on the table at banquets and family dinners, a savoury, chewy, salty plate built to be eaten with plenty of plain rice. Strips of pork belly are fried until they give up their fat, then dried squid, pressed tofu, Chinese celery, spring onion and chilli are tossed through with soy until everything is glossy and smoky. The dried squid needs an overnight soak, so plan ahead, or use fresh squid for a softer bite. Many cooks rush the first stage and leave the pork belly pale and fatty: fry it until it is golden and the fat is clear. Chef's tip: cut everything to the same matchstick length, so each mouthful picks up a bit of pork, squid, tofu and celery together.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz skinless pork bellycut into 5 mm thick, 5 cm long strips
- 1 dried squidabout 60 g, soaked in cold water overnight (not counted in the times), cut into thin strips; or 200 g fresh squid
- 7 oz pressed dried tofucut into 5 mm strips
- 5 ½ oz Chinese celerycut into 5 cm lengths
- 4 spring onionscut into 5 cm lengths, whites and greens kept separate
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 red chillisliced
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 3 tbsp water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 1 dried squid, pat it dry and cut it into thin strips the same length as the pork. If you use fresh squid, cut it into strips and pat it very dry.
Step 2: Pat 7 oz pressed dried tofu dry with kitchen paper so it browns rather than steams.
Step 3: Put 1 tbsp neutral oil and 7 oz skinless pork belly in a cold wok and set it over a medium heat. Fry, stirring now and then, until the strips are golden and slightly crisp and the fat runs clear; the pork should reach 160°F.
8 minStep 4: Push the pork to one side, add the tofu to the fat and fry until lightly golden on the edges.
3 minStep 5: Add the squid and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until it curls and smells toasty.
2 minStep 6: Add 3 cloves garlic, 1 red chilli and the white parts of 4 spring onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Step 7: Pour 2 tbsp soy sauce around the hot edge of the wok so it sizzles and caramelises, then add 1 tsp sugar, ¼ tsp ground white pepper and 3 tbsp water. Toss over a high heat until everything is glossy and the liquid has almost gone.
2 minStep 8: Add 5 ½ oz Chinese celery and the spring onion greens and toss for 1 minute, until the celery is bright green but still crunchy. Serve hot with rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hakka stir-fry take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of chinese celery?
- Fennel bulb, same weight.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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