CHINESE FRIED PORK WITH ONIONS

Ingredients

• 1 pound (approximately 450 g) fresh pork (not too fat), such as pork loin or shoulder (Choose a lean cut with minimal fat. You will slice this into thin strips or tubes before cooking.)
• 2 large onions large onions (Yellow or white onions work well. Peel and slice into half-rings or rough chunks.)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (syou) ('Syou' is the historical spelling for soy sauce (shoyu). Use a standard light soy sauce.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Plain table salt or fine sea salt.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the pork on a clean chopping board. Using a sharp knife, slice it into thin strips or small tube-shaped pieces, roughly 1–2 cm (½ inch) thick. Try to keep the pieces a similar size so they cook evenly. If the pork is slightly frozen it will be easier to slice thinly — this is optional but helpful for beginners.
2. 2Peel the two large onions by cutting off the top and bottom, then removing the papery outer skin. Slice each onion in half from root to tip, then cut each half into thick slices or rough chunks. Set aside on the board until needed.
3. 3Place a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot — after about 1 minute the pan should feel very warm when you hold your hand 5 cm (2 inches) above it. Add the sliced pork in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan). Fry, turning the pieces occasionally with tongs or a spatula, until the pork is lightly browned on the outside, about 6–8 minutes. The pork does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage, just browned.
4. 4Add the sliced onions directly into the pan with the pork. Stir everything together and continue frying over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden-brown and the pork is fully cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. The onions will shrink down significantly — this is normal.
5. 5Sprinkle the teaspoon of salt evenly over the pork and onions, then pour the two tablespoons of soy sauce around the edges of the pan (this helps it sizzle and caramelise quickly). Turn the heat up to high and stir-fry vigorously for 2–3 minutes until everything is sizzling and well coated with the sauce. The dish should look glossy and smell deeply savoury. Taste a small piece of pork — it should be fully cooked with no pink inside.
6. 6Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the pork and onions to a serving dish. Serve immediately alongside plain boiled or steamed white rice. The savoury, slightly caramelised sauce from the pan is part of the flavour — spoon any pan juices over the rice if you like.