A simple and healthy dinner that can be made quickly on a busy weeknight.
Not just healthy, but very quick to make once the preparation work is done, stir-fries are a great switch from the typical “quick” dinners. The key to a great stir-fry is to prepare everything you need before you begin the fast-frying method.
Begin this dish by slicing a medium pork tenderloin roughly 1/4″ thick across the grain. Use a very sharp knife, and remove any silver skin that may remain on the tenderloin before you begin slicing. If you use a slightly diagonal motion when slicing the tenderloin, it’ll be easier to slice thinly.
In a resealable bag, put two tbsp of corn starch, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp of grated or minced ginger, and 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Add the sliced pork, and mix well to coat. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
Preparing all the ingredients in advance of beginning the fast stir-fry method makes this meal easy and quick on a busy weeknight.
For this dinner, I sliced carrots, celery, onions and mushrooms. Green or red peppers, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts etc would also be great add-ins if you wish. Make sure your vegetables are very similar in size so they’ll cook evenly. Once the vegetables are prepared, you’re ready to start cooking your dinner.
Use a wok or a heavy frying pan at a high temperature to quickly stir-fry the pork.
Preheat a wok or heavy frying pan to medium-high, and add 1 tbsp of sesame oil, and two tbsp of olive oil. When the pan is hot enough, the oil will appear to have swirls in it. Add the pork, and fry quickly making sure to stir as the meat cooks so it doesn’t rest at the bottom of the pan. When the meat is lightly browned, and no longer pink, transfer to a dish and repeat the process with the vegetables.
Return the pan to medium-high heat, and add the vegetables. Stir fry for about two minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
If using peppers and/or mushrooms, add them near the end of the frying time for the firmer vegetables. Vegetables that have a high water content will create a steaming process and not the unique flavour stir-frying gives to your meal. They also take a lot less time to cook, so add them only about 1 minute before your other vegetables are cooked to your desired tenderness.
Prepare the stir-fry sauce while vegetables are cooking.
To make the sauce for the stir-fry, combine 1/4 cup of Hoisin sauce, 1/8 cup of sodium-reduced soy sauce, 1 tbsp of minced or grated ginger, 1 tsp of onion powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder, and 1 cup of water. Mix well. Add the delicate vegetables, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Return the pork to the pan, and add the sauce. Stir well to coat.
Stir the mixture well and cook until the pork is heated through. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
Serve over hot rice or your favourite noodles for stir-fries. A quick and easy dinner bursting with flavour, and your family won’t even notice how good it is for them!
I like the idea of adding sesame oil to the olive oil when frying. This sounds delicious.
It adds the flavour of the sesame oil, the healthier option of the olive oil, all while raising the smoke point in the olive oil… it worked really well to keep the fat down, and the taste up!
Now that is my kind of meal! Gorgeous!
Thank you Angie! I really enjoyed this one!
Looks wonderful!
Thank you, and thank you for the support, I really appreciate it!
Yum-me! (I had to spell it as it sounded). I love stir frys and the punch of ginger makes it even better! (and yes… I can use tofu or beans as the alternative with this recipe.) Good cookin’ there Tami!
Thank you Liz! I LOVE ginger… you could easily use a firm tofu sliced up, and stir fry it quickly in the sesame/olive oil combo to crisp it up first… I would even try the marinade with it first.
I tried it before commenting. – and it’s just delicious!!! Thank you for your post Tami!!
Raani I’m so honoured! I’m glad you enjoyed it! The best part…it wasn’t soup!!! LOL
Oh – oh my God… now you mention it!! Thank you!! ROFL
Honestly – would I have cooked it if it was soup? *grin* How long do you know me, Tami? *chuckle*
LMFAO long enough to declare that you’re forever the “Soup Nazi” to me!! haha xoxoxo
*giggle* Nicely expressed. LOL – It’s not even that I “hate” it so much… it’s just a deeply rooted childhood trauma that makes me not liking it… like getting daily soups with the “yesterday’s leftovers” in it (and two days before’s too) – and Friday getting a “weekly food review” soup…
Can you imagine me developing a certain “dislike”? *grin*
All too well Raani…I think we grew up in the same family!! LMAO