Chinese Salt and Pepper Pork Chop

Our family loves homemade Chinese food. Who am I kidding- we love just about every nationality! This has been a restaurant favorite of mine since the 80's. Here is my take on it.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) boneless pork chops, cut into irregular 1/2” to 1” (1 to 2.5 cm) pieces (See the blog post above for how to cut the chops). 
• Marinade:
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon dry white wine or sherry (for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Pepper Salt:
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Cooking:
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or enough to cover half of the pork)
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • a few slices of jarred jalapeno
  • 3-4 green onions, chopped

Instructions:

1. Combine the cut pork with the oil, dry white wine or sherry, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Mix until the pork is evenly coated. Marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Mix the salt and white pepper in a small bowl.

3. Add enough oil to a medium-sized pan to cover half of the pork. Heat over medium heat until hot. Prepare a plate lined with paper towels.

4. Add the sliced garlic and jarred jalapeno (if you have fresh- that's ok too. Jarred is easier) to the oil and fry them until the garlic just turns pale golden and the jalapeno crisp up on the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon, draining the excess oil as you do, and place them onto the paper towel-lined plate. Once the garlic and jalapeno have cooled, transfer them to a big bowl.

5. Add 1/4 cup cornstarch to the marinated pork chops and toss to coat. Add the pork to the pan, a few pieces at a time, so they do not crowd the pan. Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until the coating is crispy and lightly browned.

6. Remove the pork from the pan, draining the excess oil as you do, and place them on the paper towel-lined plate. Let rest for at least 10 to 20 seconds, so the paper soaks up some of the oil. Once you’ve cooked all the pork chops, transfer them to the bowl with the garlic and jalapeno.

7. Add the chopped green onions to the bowl and sprinkle half of the salt and white pepper over everything. Toss to evenly distribute. Taste the pork and sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if needed.

And that's it! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!