This Chinese black bean garlic pork belly stir-fry is loaded with flavor and comfort in every forkful! It is a breeze to make and is incredibly satisfying when eaten with rice. It is a simple, humble dish that packs a punch and is an easy delicious meal for any night of the week!
Here's another dish that is very nostalgic for me as it's one that my mum used to make all the time. It's a humble dish with very simple ingredients, but it packs a flavor punch and is satisfying and comforting!
Ingredients
- Pork belly
- Preserved black beans
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Onion
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Chinese cooking wine
- Sugar
- Optional vegetables: corn, zucchini, bell peppers
About preserved black beans
Preserved black beans are a very common ingredient in Chinese cooking and can be found in most Chinese markets in the dry food aisle, often near the sauces.
They may be in a container or packet, and sometimes they may contain ginger (which is totally fine), but besides that, it should simply be black beans and salt.
Prepare the Ingredients Before Cooking
Stir-fries are cooked very quickly and all the ingredients should be prepared and ready to go before you add anything to your pan.
Black beans and aromatics: Rinse the preserved black beans in cool water a couple of times and drain off the liquid.
Finely mince the garlic and ginger and set it aside with the black beans. Finely dice the onion and place in a separate bowl.
Pork belly: Cut the pork belly into slices, and then cut each slice into small bite-sized pieces. Keeping the pieces small makes for easier eating and faster cooking.
Vegetables: If adding vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, cut them into bite sized pieces.
Sauce: In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.
How To Cook Black Bean Garlic Pork Belly Stir-Fry
Heat your skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add about a tablespoon of neutral flavored oil and add the onions. Stir-fry for about a minute.
Add the black beans, garlic, ginger and stir-fry for about another minute.
Add the pork and stir-fry until mostly cooked through.
Add your vegetables to the pan and stir-fry about 2 minutes.
Add the sauce to the pan and mix everything together. Let the pork belly cook about another couple of minutes to let the sauce reduce and thicken so it coats the pork.
Commonly Asked Questions
If you choose to use jarred black bean garlic sauce, start conservatively because their flavors can be quite strong. You will still need to add some or all of the sauce ingredients I have listed in this recipe, but you will likely have to add less of each ingredient to start with, adjusting as necessary to get the right flavor. Using the preserved black beans with the aromatics gives you more control over the taste of the final product.
You could also use beef or chicken, or another cut of pork, like collar, choosing cuts that have some fat or marbling so they are more tender to eat.
My mum often used canned corn and it's easy, and I used zucchini because I like it with the black bean. Bell peppers, mushrooms, leafy Asian greens like choy sum or Chinese kale, green beans, and cabbage are all great ones to use, too. Ones that cook quickly work best and remember to cut them into bite-sized pieces.
How To Serve the Pork Belly
Scoop a spoonful of the black bean garlic pork belly over some hot cooked rice and dig in! It's totally good just like that as a comforting meal, but eating it with some steamed leafy green vegetables or a hot bowl of soup definitely rounds it out.
Sometimes if I'm too lazy to make rice, I actually love eating the pork belly with steamed veggies. It's still delicious and satisfying....and if you're avoiding carbs, it's perfect!
If you're looking for other Chinese recipes, here are some that are worth checking out, and that were all inspired by what my mum used to make!
As I mentioned before, my mum used to cook this dish all the time. Served with hot rice and oftentimes a bowl of some sort of Chinese soup, every spoonful was so comforting and satisfying. Every spoonful I have when I make this dish now is loaded with nostalgia and warm food memories from my childhood. I hope you'll try it and get some enjoyment from it, too!
~ Lisa.
Black Bean Garlic Pork Belly Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. pork belly
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 1 ½ tablespoons preserved black beans, rinsed in cold water and drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup canned corn
- 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil, for frying
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar for the sauce in a small bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Cut the pork belly into strips, and then cut each strip into small bite-sized pieces.
- Have all the diced onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, and rinsed and drained black beans, chopped zucchini, and corn prepared and ready for cooking.
- Heat a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil.
- Add the diced onions to the hot pan and let cook about 1 minute.
- Add the black bean, garlic, and ginger and fry with the onions, about 1 minute.
- Add the pork belly and stir-fry until almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes..
- Add the vegetables to the pan and stir-fry all the ingredients, cooking about 2 minutes.
- Add the sauce to the pan and mix.
- Continue to cook until the sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the meat and vegetables, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with hot cooked rice.
Notes
- Cut the pork belly into small bite-sized pieces. Not only is it easier to eat with rice, but it will cook faster if the pieces are smaller.
- Rinse the black beans a couple of times with cold water to wash away any excess salt and impurities.
- Other vegetable possibilities for this dish:
- chopped bell peppers (I like yellow, but green or red would be good, too)
- Asian leafy greens like choy sum or gai lan, cut into small pieces
- chopped green beans
- cabbage
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
Lisa says
Hi Lisa,
This Black bean garlic pork belly was sooooo good. The seasoning was just right. Easy and quick, just perfect.
Hi Lisa! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and for leaving a comment! I'm so glad you liked it.