Spicy Cashew Cucumber Pork, or 黃瓜炒腰果猪肉, pairs diced pork the contrasting textures of Cashews and Cucumber in a spicy Chili Bean Paste Sauce.
Cucumber is not added to many cooked dishes in the West, but it is used quite frequently this way in many Asian cuisines and it works very well indeed. Here, the soft flesh of the Cucumber is given a textural contrast with crunchy roasted Cashews, and the underlying sweet and sour notes of Sugar and Rice Vinegar are offset by the sharp bite of Spicy Bean Paste. The recipe is very simple, and a good way to use up leftover Pork.
Ingredient Notes for 黃瓜炒腰果猪肉
The chili bean paste used in this recipe is the Lee Kum Kee™ Brand Spicy Bean Sauce, which, as I have noted before, is marketed as a ‘Ma Pos Sauce’. It actually fails at that intended use, but is a very decent general-purpose Chili Bean Paste otherwise.
Leftover Roast Pork was used to make the dish for this post, but any cold leftover Pork will work just fine.
By the way … the more astute of those reading this will probably note that the picture above doesn’t show *all* the ingredients listed in the Recipe Card below. The Sugar is omitted by mistake.
How to make Spicy Cashew Cucumber Pork
The first step is frying the leftover Pork cubes until they begin to turn a nice golden color here and there. They may throw of some fat during this process (depending on the cut of Pork you are using), so once the cubes are cooked, spoon off all but a Tablespoon or so.
Next, Add the Cashews, followed a minute later by the Cucumber and stir-fry briefly. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook down over moderately high heat until the sauce becomes a glaze.
Serve your Spicy Cashew Cucumber Pork piping hot.
Your Recipe Card for 黃瓜炒腰果猪肉:
Spicy Cashew Cucumber Pork
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Cold Roast Pork in 1 cm dice;
- 1 cup diced Cucumber;
- ½ cup Cashews;
- 3-4 tbsp. Lee Kum Kee Brand Spicy Bean Paste *See Notes
- 3 tbsp. Rice Vinegar;
- 1 tsp. Sugar;
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over moderately high heat and then sauté the Pork cubes until golden.
- Spoon off any excess fat leaving a tablespoon or so along with the meat and dd the Cashews, followed by the Cumber.
- Stir-fry briefly, then add the bean past, vinegar and sugar.
- Allow the sauce to reduce to a thin glaze and then plate and serve immediately.