Pork with Straw Mushrooms

This Chinese pork stir-fry uses a technique called velveting to keep the meat incredibly tender. Thin slices of pork loin get tossed with cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper, then rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. That cornstarch coating creates a silky barrier that seals in moisture when the pork hits the screaming-hot wok.

Straw mushrooms have a mild, earthy flavor and a firm, almost springy texture that holds up well to high-heat cooking. Paired with crisp blanched snow peas, sliced bamboo shoots, and diagonal-cut green onions, you get a stir-fry with real variety in every bite.

The sauce is simple: chicken broth thickened with a cornstarch slurry and darkened with dark soy sauce, which adds color and a slightly sweet, malty depth that regular soy sauce doesn’t have.

Chef Tips

• Cut the pork with the grain into strips first, then slice across the grain. This gives you pieces that are tender to bite through rather than chewy.
• Get the wok genuinely hot before adding oil. If the pork doesn’t sizzle on contact, the wok isn’t ready and you’ll end up steaming instead of searing.
• Blanch the snow peas for exactly one minute, then shock in cold water. This sets the bright green color and snappy texture. Overcooked pea pods go limp and dull.
• Add the green onions and pea pods last, just 30 seconds of tossing. They’re already cooked and just need to heat through.

Variations

• Swap pork for chicken breast, sliced and velveted the same way.
• Add a splash of Shaoxing wine with the broth for a more complex, restaurant-style sauce.
• Toss in sliced water chestnuts for extra crunch alongside the bamboo shoots.