Stir-fried Leeks with Roast Pork and Bean Curd
Today is the 15th day of Chinese New Year, also known as Yuan Xiao Festival (元宵节) or Lantern Festival. This day is also the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day, and marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities. It’s a great day to eat leeks, an auspicious food for Chinese New Year because the character “蒜” in its Chinese name (蒜苗/大蒜) sounds like calculating (“算”) in Mandarin, symbolizing wealth. In this recipe, I stir-fry leeks with roast pork, a winning combination I saw at my friend’s Pablo blog.
Meatless Version:
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The natural saltiness of the roast pork flavours the dish and complements the leeks well. I added tau kwa (deep fried bean curd) and carrots for a more complete meal. The result was good and a hit with my family.
Whether I make my own roast pork (siu yuk) or buy it ready-made from the market, I always plan for leftovers the next day to cook this dish. In this way, I got two meals figured out.
Stir-fried Leeks with Roast Pork and Bean Curd
Wash the crevices between the leek leaves thoroughly, as there is soil trapped in between the leaves. One way to clean them is to slice them half lengthwise, and after washing thoroughly, pat dry with kitchen paper towels and slice accordingly.
Ingredients:
- 200g Chinese leeks sliced diagonally to 5cm lengths & separate stalks from leaves
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 carrot peeled and sliced thinly
- 100g fried beancurd (tau twa) sliced to bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (or substitute with light soy sauce)
- 3 tbsp water can add more if the stir-fry is too dry
- 100g roasted pork/siu yuk store-bought or home-made; sliced to 1 cm width
- 1 tbsp Chinese wine
Directions:
- Heat oil in wok. Stir fry garlic for about 30 seconds. Add leeks (the white portion) and carrot. Stir fry for about 1 minute over high heat.
- Add fried beancurd, oyster sauce, fish sauce and water. Stir fry for another 1-2 minutes, or until the leeks are softened.
- Add the remaining leeks (leaves) and roasted pork to the wok. Stir fry briefly until the leaves are cooked. Drizzle Chinese wine along the sides of the wok and let the wine evaporate seconds later (you’ll smell the aroma) before you turn off the stove.