Stir-Fried Pork on Lettuce

This stir-fry skips the rice entirely and serves the soy-glazed pork and vegetables over a bed of crisp, shredded lettuce. The hot stir-fry wilts the lettuce just slightly on contact, creating a warm-cool contrast that makes the dish feel lighter than a typical stir-fry over grain.

Slicing the pork tenderloin into thin ¼-inch pieces is essential for wok cooking. Thin slices cook in 3 to 4 minutes of high-heat stirring, staying juicy inside while picking up a quick sear. Thick cuts would need longer cooking time and end up tough and dry.

The two-stage cooking is classic stir-fry technique. Mushrooms and snow peas go first and come out, then the pork gets its turn in a hot, empty pan. Cooking them separately means each ingredient gets direct heat contact instead of steaming in a crowded pan. Everything reunites at the end when the cornstarch-thickened marinade brings it all together in a glossy, clingy sauce.

Pro Tips

• Get the wok or pan screaming hot before adding oil. A cold pan means the pork stews instead of searing, and you lose that caramelized edge.
• Drain the marinade from the pork well before browning. Wet meat steams instead of searing.
• Stir the cornstarch into the reserved marinade before adding it back to the pan. Adding dry cornstarch to a hot wok creates lumps that never dissolve.
• Shred the lettuce just before plating. Pre-shredded lettuce browns at the edges and wilts.

Variations

• Swap snow peas for sugar snap peas or broccoli florets for a different vegetable crunch.
• Add a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger to the marinade for more aromatic heat.
• Use rice wine or mirin instead of dry sherry for a sweeter, more authentic Asian flavor.